由头

由頭

yóutou

noun

Meanings

1 pretext
2 excuse
3 reason; justification

Characters

Examples

他总能找到一个由头不来上班。

Tā zǒng néng zhǎodào yīgè yóutou bù lái shàngbān.

He can always find an excuse not to come to work.

这件小事被她当作了发火的由头。

Zhè jiàn xiǎo shì bèi tā dàngzuò le fāhuǒ de yóutou.

She used this trivial matter as a pretext to lose her temper.

他借生日的由头请大家吃饭。

Tā jiè shēngrì de yóutou qǐng dàjiā chīfàn.

He used his birthday as an excuse to treat everyone to dinner.

Tips

usage

由头 carries a slight sense that the reason is convenient or contrived — a 'pretext.' Compare neutral 理由 (lǐyóu, 'reason') and 借口 (jièkǒu, 'excuse,' usually negative).

Stroke Order

由 yóu

头 tóu