Definition
头筹 means 'first place' or 'top spot', but it almost always appears in the fixed four-character phrase 拔得头筹 ('to win first place / to come out on top'). The phrase originated from ancient gambling or lottery games where 筹 (chips/tokens) were used; grabbing the first token meant winning. In modern Chinese, 头筹 is rarely used alone — learners should treat 拔得头筹 as a unit. You can also see 夺得头筹 or 赢得头筹 in formal or journalistic contexts.
n.
first placetop spot (usually in the phrase 拔得头筹)
Examples
- 头筹，。Tā zài zhè cì dàsài zhōng bádé tóu chóu, huòdé le guànjūn.He won first place in this competition and got the championship.
- 头筹。Xīn chǎnpǐn de xiāoliàng zài tóng hángyè zhōng bádé tóu chóu.The sales of the new product took the top spot in the industry.
- 头筹，？Shéi néng zài Àoyùnhuì shàng bádé tóu chóu, chéngwéi zhòngrén guānzhù de jiāodiǎn?Who can win first place at the Olympics and become the focus of everyone's attention?
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