Meaning
首 originally meant 'head' in ancient Chinese and still carries this meaning in certain contexts. As a measure word, it's used specifically for counting poems, songs, and musical compositions. It also appears in many compound words meaning 'first', 'chief', or 'leader'.
Usage
In modern Mandarin, 首 is most commonly encountered as a measure word when discussing poetry or music, or in compound words like 首都 (capital city) and 首先 (first of all). When used alone to mean 'head', it's literary and archaic; modern speakers use 头 instead for the body part.
Examples
- 01这是我最喜欢的一首歌。.This is my favorite song.
- 02李白写了很多首著名的诗。.Li Bai wrote many famous poems.
Common collocations
- 一首歌a song
- 一首诗a poem
- 首次first time
- 首要primary, most important
Antonyms
Origin
The character 首 is a pictograph depicting a head with hair on top. In oracle bone script, it clearly showed the shape of a human head, which explains its original meaning and its extension to mean 'chief' or 'first'.