The Head FamilyRadical 页
A census of the head, crown to chin
ShuowenShuowen: “页 (頁), the head. Pictograph.”
The oracle form of 页 (頁) is a big-headed figure: round skull, large eyes, seated — “页” simply means head. The 頁 radical is the script’s head census: 顶, 额, 颊, 颧, 颏, 颔, 颈, 项 — every part from crown to chin has a name and an address. And the actions of a head became judgements of a person: a nod is 颔首, a tilted head is 偏颇, a dropped head is 颓唐. The simplified 页 also keeps the pages of books — “page” was once 葉, a leaf: one page of paper, like one leaf of a tree.
The Root Character · Reading “页” in Three Layers
See the form
The oracle figure: a large round head on a seated body, the eye drawn large — the script’s plainest “human head”.
Read the logic
The 頁 radical sits on the right: 顶, 额, 颊, 颔, 颈, 项 — a census table of the head.
Grasp the wisdom
The Chinese prize the “head and face” above all: 颜面, 头面, 面子 — the head carries dignity, so most 頁 characters are matters of honour.
The Making of a Glyph
- Oracle boneA big head on a body — unmistakable.
- BronzeHead and body join; the face simplifies.
- Small sealThe crowned head set upright, as if at court.
- Clerical & regularSix strokes fix the form: 页.
Glyphs are schematic reconstructions, not rubbings.
The Chain of the Face
The head is the body’s command post — this chain runs from the highest point to the base of the chin: a汉字 census of the face.
From crown to chinThe crown of the head.
顶天立地 — “head bracing heaven, feet planted in earth”: the crown is a person’s highest point, and the height of resolve.
Character Assembly · Two Parts Become One
When two parts walk toward each other, a new character is born. Watch how they meet.
顾 gù
Form厄 as sound beside a head (页) — turning to look back.
LogicThe root meaning of 顾 is to turn and look back — the glance over the shoulder.
Wisdom“Three visits to the thatched cottage” — he looked back three times: 顾 is the turn of the head, and a most solemn attention. To be 顾-ed is high honour.
颇 pō
Form皮 as sound beside a head (页) — the head tilted.
LogicA tilted, not-quite-straight head is 颇.
Wisdom偏颇, 颇有 — from the tilted head came “rather, quite”: tilt a little, and it is already a great deal.
颓 tuí
FormBaldness (秃) over a head (页) — the head sinking.
Logic颓 is the head dropping first.
Wisdom颓废, 颓唐 — the head droops and the person is spent: posture is mood; the ancients saw it when coining the character.
领 lǐng
Form令 as sound beside a head (页) — the neck.
Logic领’s root meaning is the neck (see the Clothing Family’s 领袖).
Wisdom引领, 领袖 — the one who leads stretches his neck furthest. From neck to leader is only a matter of which way you hold it.
Branches of the Family
Hover (or tap) a character to see what it means.
The Census Continued
A supplementary page — these characters are also “heads”.
- 颁
- 颠
- 颜
- 颀
- 颞
- 颟
- 颢
- 顸
Titles of the Head
“Head” carried to its utmost becomes rank.
- 首
- 元
- 魁
- 亢
- 颉
- 颅
- 顶
- 头
「Hair hung from the beam, an awl in the thigh.」
—— Taiping Yulan
「Let the head be cut off — so long as the creed is true.」
—— Xia Minghan