Definition
昂首 is a formal/literary separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to hold one's head high' — a posture of pride, confidence, or defiance. The verb 昂 ('to raise') and the noun 首 ('head') can split when inserting a modifier or measure word, e.g. 昂起首 ('raise one's head up'). It often appears in set phrases like 昂首挺胸 ('hold head high and chest out') and is common in written Chinese, speeches, and idioms.
v.o.
to hold one's head high (as a gesture of pride, confidence, or defiance)
Examples
- ，。Tā áng shǒu tǐng xiōng, dà bù zǒu jìn le huìchǎng.He walked into the venue with his head high and chest out.
- ，。Shībài hòu tā yīrán áng qǐ shǒu, jìxù nǔlì.After failure, she still held her head high and kept working hard.
- ，。Zhànshìmen áng shǒu kuò bù, jiēshòu jiǎnyuè.The soldiers marched with heads high and broad steps, receiving the review.
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