元首 yuánshǒu head of state
How to remember 元首: 元 yuan + 首 head = head of state.
Characters
How it is used
- The head of state of a country - 国家元首 (guójiā yuánshǒu) head of state.
- A formal diplomatic/political term for a president, monarch, or supreme leader.
- Distinct from 首相/总理 (head of government); 元首 is the top representative of the nation itself.