Chinese–EnglishWith examples

摇头

yáo tóu · yao tou

Traditional 搖頭

HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to shake one's head
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In a conversation

0:20 cartoon

The baby and the biscuit

  1. Dengdeng

    你看(nǐkàn)那个(nàge)宝宝(bǎobao)，一直(yīzhí)摇头(yáotóu)。

    Look at that baby, he keeps shaking his head.

  2. Liangliang

    他(tā)不想(bùxiǎng)吃饭(chīfàn)吗(ma)？

    Doesn't he want to eat?

  3. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，妈妈(māma)一(yī)拿(ná)勺子(sháozi)，他(tā)就(jiù)摇头(yáotóu)。

    Right. As soon as mum picks up the spoon, he shakes his head.

  4. Liangliang

    可是(kěshì)饼干(bǐnggān)一(yī)来(lái)，他(tā)马上(mǎshàng)点头(diǎntóu)！

    But as soon as the biscuit comes, he nods at once!

  5. Dengdeng

    吃饭(chīfàn)就(jiù)摇头(yáotóu)，吃(chī)饼干(bǐnggān)就(jiù)点头(diǎntóu)，他(tā)分(fēn)得(de)真(zhēn)清楚(qīngchu)。

    Meals get a head shake, biscuits get a nod. He knows exactly what he wants.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

例(lì)如(rú)，在(zài)保(bǎo)加(jiā)利(lì)亚(yà)摇(yáo)头(tóu)表(biǎo)示(shì)同(tóng)意(yì)而(ér)点(diǎn)头(tóu)表(biǎo)示(shì)不(bù)同(tóng)意(yì)。

For example in Bulgaria, shaking one's head means yes while nodding one's head means no.

Tatoeba: Chinese by eastasiastudent · English by eastasiastudent · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

他(tā)们(men)以(yǐ)摇(yáo)头(tóu)表(biǎo)示(shì)不(bù)同(tóng)意(yì)，而(ér)其(qí)他(tā)国(guó)家(jiā)的(de)人(rén)可(kě)能(néng)以(yǐ)摇(yáo)头(tóu)表(biǎo)示(shì)同(tóng)意(yì)。

They express disagreement by shaking their heads, which may indicate agreement in other countries.

Tatoeba: Chinese by eastasiastudent · English by eastasiastudent · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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