头号

• Pinyin: tóu hào
• Hanzi breakdown: 头 = first, head; 号 = 口 + 丂 — number, mark

Meaning

Number one; top; primary; leading.

Denotes the first or most important in a category. Often used for emphasis: 头号敌人 (enemy number one), 头号人物 (most important figure). Can be positive or negative depending on context.

Examples

1. 恐怖主义是全球面临的头号安全威胁。 Terrorism is the number one security threat facing the world.
2. 她是公司的头号销售员，业绩年年第一。 She's the company's top salesperson — first in performance every year.
3. 抓住头号嫌疑犯后，这桩连环杀人案终于告破。 After catching the primary suspect, this serial murder case was finally cracked.

Usage Guide

Context: rankings, emphasis, news

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 头号人物。(The most important person.)
• 头号任务。(Top priority task.)

Don't Say

• 把一般的第一名叫'头号' (头号 implies exceptional prominence — for ordinary rankings, just use 第一)

Origin & History

头 means first/head, 号 means number — number one.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal