noun HSK 3
Traditional 鐘頭
hour
Meaning
钟头 is a colloquial word for 'hour' in Mandarin Chinese. It literally means 'clock head' and is commonly used in everyday speech as an alternative to the more formal 小时 (xiǎoshí). Both words mean exactly the same thing, but 钟头 tends to appear more in casual conversation.
Usage
Native speakers use 钟头 interchangeably with 小时 in informal contexts. It's particularly common when talking about durations of time in daily activities, like working, studying, or waiting. In formal writing or official contexts, 小时 is generally preferred.
Examples
- 01我等了你三个钟头了。.I've been waiting for you for three hours.
- 02这部电影有两个钟头长。.This movie is two hours long.
Characters
Measure words
- 个两个钟头
Common collocations
- 一个钟头one hour
- 几个钟头several hours
- 半个钟头half an hour
Origin
The word combines 钟 (clock) with 头, which here functions as a nominalizing suffix. It emerged as a colloquial way to refer to the units marked by a clock.