Chinese word

口头

Pronunciation

Pinyinkǒu tóu

Meaning

  • adjectiveverbal

Example

他给了我一个口头承诺。tā gěi le wǒ yí gè kǒu tóu chéng nuò

He made me a verbal promise.

Illustration for 口头 (verbal)

More examples

合同还没有签字，只是达成了口头协议。hé tóng hái méi yǒu qiān zì zhǐ shì dá chéng le kǒu tóu xié yì

The contract is not signed yet, and only a verbal agreement has been reached.

Core concept

A communication channel carried by the voice rather than fixed in writing.

Common phrases

  • 口头承诺kǒu tóu chéng nuò

    verbal promise

  • 口头协议kǒu tóu xié yì

    oral agreement

  • 口头表达kǒu tóu biǎo dá

    verbal expression

Similar words

口语的kóu yǔ de: Relates to the language and style of ordinary spoken conversation.

Definition in Chinese

表示非书写、以口语为方式的性质或状态，常与“书面”相对，用于说明表达或记录的方式。biǎo shì fēi shū xiě yǐ kóu yǔ wèi fāng shì de xìng zhì huò zhuàng tài cháng yǔ shū miàn xiāng duì yòng yú shuō míng biǎo dá huò jì lù de fāng shì

Word origin

口 (kǒu, "mouth") + 头 (tóu, "head") uses the mouth as a sign for speaking, while 头 helps give the compound an abstract sense of a manner or state.

Usage tips

  • This adjective normally comes before the noun it describes, so its position helps identify it in short Chinese phrases.

Opposites

Related words

  • 口头语kǒu tóu yǔcolloquial speechnoun
  • 口头禅kǒu tóu chánverbal ticnoun
  • 口头协议kǒu tóu xié yìoral agreementnoun

Word lists with this word