龙头 lóngtóu faucet
faucet; tap; bicycle handlebar; chief; boss (especially of a gang); (referring to a company) leader; front-runner; figurehead on the prow of a dragon boat 龙船
How to remember 龙头: 龙 dragon + 头 head = faucet.
Characters
How it is used
- Two senses: a faucet/tap - 拧开水龙头 (nǐngkāi shuǐlóngtóu) turn on the tap - and the leader/front-runner - 龙头企业 (lóngtóu qǐyè) a leading (flagship) enterprise.
- The 'dragon's head' image: literally the tap fixture, figuratively the leader that pulls an industry along.
- 龙头老大 = the top dog; also a bicycle's handlebar. Register: everyday and business.
Example sentences
- 水龙头在滴水。 Shuǐlóngtóu zài dīshuǐ.The faucet is leaking.