About

The word 钟头 (zhōngtóu), meaning "hour", is formed through a vivid conceptual metaphor. It directly combines 钟 (zhōng), meaning "clock" or "bell" (the instrument that measures or announces time), with 头 (tóu), meaning "head" or "end". The term visualizes an hour as a single, complete segment or "head" unit on the face of a clock, picturing it as a distinct block of time marked off by the clock's mechanism.

Example Sentences Hide

我等了一个钟头

Wǒ děngle yīgè zhōngtóu.

I waited for an hour.

电影持续了两个钟头

Diànyǐng chíxùle liǎng gè zhōngtóu.

The movie lasted for two hours.

她每天练习钢琴一个钟头

Tā měitiān liànxí gāngqín yīgè zhōngtóu.

She practices piano for an hour every day.

由于交通堵塞,我多花了一个钟头才到家。

Yóuyú jiāotōng dǔsè, wǒ duō huāle yīgè zhōngtóu cái dào jiā.

Due to traffic jam, I spent an extra hour to get home.

如果我们提前半个钟头出发,就能避开高峰时段。

Rúguǒ wǒmen tíqián bàn gè zhōngtóu chūfā, jiù néng bìkāi gāofēng shíduàn.

If we leave half an hour earlier, we can avoid the peak time.

Word Definition - 钟头

zhōng tóu (coll.) hour