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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to nod' with 点头 (diǎntóu)

    Actions & Events

    Structure

    点头; 点了点头

    Explanation

    点头 (diǎntóu) means "to nod" or "to nod one's head," typically indicating agreement, acknowledgment, or greeting. It is a verb-object compound combining 点 (to dot/to dip) and 头 (head). Because the object 头 is built in, the verb and object can be separated, as in 点了点头 (nodded).

    Examples

    • 老师问他听懂了没有，他点头说懂了。

      Lǎoshī wèn tā tīngdǒng le méiyǒu, tā diǎntóu shuō dǒng le.

      The teacher asked him if he understood, and he nodded and said he did.

    • 她微笑着向我点头打了个招呼。

      Tā wēixiào zhe xiàng wǒ diǎntóu dǎ le gè zhāohu.

      She smiled and nodded to greet me.

    • 经理听完汇报后满意地点了点头。

      Jīnglǐ tīng wán huìbào hòu mǎnyì de diǎn le diǎntóu.

      The manager nodded with satisfaction after hearing the report.

    Expressing 'to nod' with 点头 (diǎntóu) | Chinese Grammar