字 字源HanziOrigin
中文EnglishFrançaisEspañolالعربيةРусский
首
shǒu
head, first
At a glance · 首

Listen

Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

首 Evolution of the glyph
  1. 首 Object sketch
    Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
  2. 首 Oracle bone
    Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
  3. 首 Seal script
    Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
  4. 首 Clerical script
    Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
  5. 首 Regular script
    Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE
Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

首字甲骨文象人头之形，有发、面、目；本义为头，引申为首要、首领。金文、小篆承之。

What the sketch shows

首 Object sketch

Origins & notes

首本义为头，引申为第一、首领。

Structure

首为象形字，描摹人头的轮廓。

At a glance

Pinyinshǒu
Radical首
Strokes9
UnicodeU+9996
Character type象形
Theme人体

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English head, first Shou is a pictograph of a human head, meaning head and, by extension, first and chief.
Français tête, premier Shou est un pictogramme de tête humaine, signifiant tête et, par extension, premier et chef.
Español cabeza, primero Shou es un pictograma de cabeza humana, significa cabeza y, por extensión, primero y jefe.
العربية رأس، أول شو رسم تخطيطي لرأس إنسان، يعني الرأس، ومنه الأول والزعيم.
Русский голова, первый Шоу — пиктограмма человеческой головы, означает голову и, далее, первый и вождь.

Common words

  • 首先shǒu xiānfirst
  • 首领shǒu lǐngleader

Related characters