Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
颠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
颠
diān
top (of the head)
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
颠
diān
apex
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
颠
diān
to fall forwards
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
颠
diān
inverted
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
颠
diān
to jolt
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
颠
diān
peak, summit, top; to upset
v, 16 strokes, radical 页, rank #9612, Very Hard
diān(dian1)dian T1
1top (of the head)
2apex
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
颠(顛)diān(dian1)
The character 颠 (diān) primarily means 'to overturn' or 'to fall forwards,' often used in contexts involving motion or disturbance, such as in 'to jolt' or 'to upset.' It can also refer to the top or apex of something, particularly in more abstract or figurative uses.
Strokes16Radical页Frequency#9612DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, the idea of 'upside down' or 'overturning' can be associated with change or disruption, often seen in proverbs that discuss the transient nature of life and fortune.
Memory tip
Imagine a person standing on their head (the top of their head is the '颠'), and then they suddenly jolt forward, causing everything around them to spill. The character's radical '音' (yīn) suggests sound, like a loud thud when they fall, helping you remember both the pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 颠
diān(dian1)
1top (of the head)
2apex
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 颠 means.
About 颠
颠Simplified
顛Traditional
16Strokes
页Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9612Frequency Rank
Podcast: 颠
Podcast: 颠
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 颠
Quick Contrast
翻 (fān, to flip) — use 颠 (diān) when emphasizing a forward motion or disturbance, while 翻 (fān) focuses more on a horizontal or rotational movement.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone, as 'diān' is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone), which can be confused with similar sounding words. This character is often used in more informal contexts, especially in phrases related to physical movement or disturbances.
HSK Study Tips
While 颠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, learners at higher levels might encounter it in literary contexts or discussions about physical states. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in phrases or idioms related to movement or upheaval.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 颠 (diān) with 颠倒 (diāndǎo), using them interchangeably. Remember that 颠 focuses more on the action of falling or jostling, while 颠倒 emphasizes the state of being upside down.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 颠
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 颠, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 颠 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 颠?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 颠 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
颠 = 页 + 真. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 颠
IDS Structure⿰真页
颠Full character
=
真zhen1
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 颠?
How to say top (of the head) in Chinese
“top (of the head)” in Chinese is颠diān
The character 颠 (diān) primarily means 'to overturn' or 'to fall forwards,' often used in contexts involving motion or disturbance, such as in 'to jolt' or 'to upset.' It can also refer to the top or apex of something, particularly in more abstract or figurative uses.
When to use 颠
Be cautious with the tone, as 'diān' is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone), which can be confused with similar sounding words. This character is often used in more informal contexts, especially in phrases related to physical movement or disturbances.
颠 or something close to it
翻 (fān, to flip) — use 颠 (diān) when emphasizing a forward motion or disturbance, while 翻 (fān) focuses more on a horizontal or rotational movement.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 颠 (diān) with 颠倒 (diāndǎo), using them interchangeably. Remember that 颠 focuses more on the action of falling or jostling, while 颠倒 emphasizes the state of being upside down.
Write 颠
颠
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 颠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 颠
颠 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
战争____倒是非：杀戮与残忍成了美德。
War turns morality inside out: killing and cruelty are virtues.
Example sentences for 颠 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
战争颠倒是非：杀戮与残忍成了美德。
zhànzhēng diāndǎo shìfēi： shā lù yǔ cánrěn chéng le měidé。
War turns morality inside out: killing and cruelty are virtues.
2
这一遗迹在德鲁伊特来到不列颠前就已存在。
zhè yī yí jì zài dé Lǔ yī tè láidào bù liè diān qián jiù yǐ cúnzài。
The monument predates the arrival of the druids in Britain.
3
那辆长途汽车危险地颠簸摇晃。
nà liàng chángtú qìchē wēixiǎn dì diānbǒ yáohuàng。
The coach rocked dangerously.
4
我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
wǒmen dānxīn shāowēi diānbǒ yíxià jiù kěnéng huì shǐ tā de shāngshì èhuà。
We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.
5
他被她迷得神魂颠倒，连孩子都抛到了九霄云外。
tā bèi tā mí de shén hún diāndǎo， lián háizi dōu pāo dào le jiǔ xiāo yún wài。
He became so besotted with her that even his children were forgotten.
6
他的眼睛睁开了，看到的一切都是颠倒的。
tā de yǎnjing zhēng kāi le， kàndào de yíqiè dōushì diāndǎo de。
His eyes were open and everything he saw was upside down.
7
彼得转弯太急，换挡不利索，车开得一颠一颠的。
bǐ de zhuǎnwān tài jí， huàn dǎng búlì Suǒ， chē kāi de yī diān yī diān de。
Peter drove jerkily, cornering too fast and fumbling the gears.
8
两个小毛孩在他们前面屁颠屁颠地跑开了。
liǎng gè xiǎo máo hái zài tāmen qiánmiàn pì diān pì diān dì pǎo kāi le。
Two very small children scuttled away in front of them.
9
卡车开过路面上的隆起处，颠了一下。
kǎchē kāi guò lùmiàn shàng de lōng qǐ chǔ， diān le yíxià。
The truck hit a bump and bounced.
10
他故意的上下颠动车把,摇这个老猴子几下.
tā gùyì de shàngxià diān dòngchē bǎ, yáo zhège lǎo hóuzi jǐ xià.
He deliberately jerked the shafts to rock him a bit.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 颠?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 颠
Compounds2
癫diāncrazy, insane; madness, mania
巅diānmountain peak, mountain top
Words containing this character18
颠diānapex顛
颠倒diāndǎoto reverse顛倒
颠覆diānfùto capsize顛覆
颠簸diānbǒto shake顛簸
不列颠búlièdiānBritain不列顛
大不列颠dàbúlièdiānGreat Britain大不列顛
颠倒黑白diāndǎo-hēibáito misrepresent the facts顛倒黑白
神魂颠倒shénhúndiāndǎofascinated神魂顛倒
颠沛流离diānpèiliúlíto drift顛沛流離
颠倒是非diāndǎoshìfēito invert right and wrong顛倒是非
颠扑不破diānpūbúpòsolid顛撲不破
颠三倒四diānsāndǎosìconfused顛三倒四
颠来倒去diānláidǎoqùto harp on顛來倒去
颠沛diānpèidestitute顛沛
颠茄diānqiédeadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna)顛茄
颠鸾倒凤diānluándǎofèngto have sexual intercourse顛鸞倒鳳
流离颠沛liúlídiānpèidestitute and homeless (idiom); displaced and without means流離顛沛
跑跑颠颠pǎopǎodiāndiānto work hectically跑跑顛顛
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 颠
What does 癫 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 颠
You might say, '他不小心把书桌上的东西颠倒了' (He accidentally upset the things on the desk).
Yes, it is commonly used in physical contexts, describing actions that involve falling or jostling.
Common phrases include 颠覆 (diānfù, to overturn) and 颠倒 (diāndǎo, to turn upside down).
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 颠?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
