枕头

• Pinyin: zhěn tou
• Hanzi breakdown: 枕 = 木 + 冘 (wooden headrest — the original form was a carved wooden block); 头 = 大 + 人 (head — the uppermost part)

Meaning

A pillow; the cushion placed under the head while sleeping.

Appears in idiomatic expressions and everyday speech. 枕头底下 (under the pillow) is a common hiding spot in folk idioms. Related: 枕边人 (one's bedfellow/partner).

Examples

1. 她在枕头下藏了一本日记，不让任何人发现。 She hid a diary under her pillow so no one would find it.
2. 出差时他习惯自带枕头，睡得更舒服。 When he travels for work, he’s used to bringing his own pillow so he can sleep more comfortably.
3. 这款记忆棉枕头能有效缓解颈椎压力。 This memory-foam pillow can effectively relieve pressure on the cervical spine.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, home, sleep

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 换一个支撑力好的枕头可以有效改善睡眠质量。(Switching to a pillow with good support can effectively improve sleep quality.)
• 他把头埋进枕头里，久久无法入睡。(He buried his head in the pillow and could not fall asleep for a long time.)

Don't Say

• 头枕 meaning a sleeping pillow — 头枕 typically refers to a headrest (as in a car seat or chair); 枕头 is the correct word for a sleeping pillow

Origin & History

枕 (rest the head/pillow — originally a wooden headrest) + 头 (head)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal