Definitions
(noun)
head; first
(adjective)
chief; principal
(classifier)
classifier for songs, poems
Etymology
Pictograph of a head (hair above a face with an eye).
About
The character '首' originated as a pictogram representing a human head, with its structural composition historically suggesting hair atop a schematic face or skull, which gradually standardized into its current form. Etymologically centered on the concept of the head as a body part, its meaning expanded metaphorically to denote a leader or chief, analogous to the head's commanding role, and further to signify firstness or beginning, reflecting a natural association with priority. This semantic broadening is evident in its usage within compounds conveying notions of prominence or inception, while the character's graphical integrity has persisted relatively unchanged, maintaining its role as both a standalone ideograph and a radical in the writing system.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
北京是中国的首都。
首先你要认真学习。
这是我首次来北京。
这是他的首部小说。
单词的首字母要大写。
英国的首相访问了法国。
这部剧的首演非常成功。
买房的首付需要很多钱。