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话头

話頭
huàtóu
noun #30,928

Meanings

  1. 1 topic of conversation; the thread of what's being said
  2. 2 huatou, a critical phrase used as a meditation key (Chan/Zen Buddhism)

Examples

HSK 6
他打断了我的话头。
Tā dǎduàn le wǒ de huàtóu.
He cut off my train of thought / interrupted me mid-sentence.
HSK 7-9
她想换个话头，避开尴尬。
Tā xiǎng huàn ge huàtóu, bìkāi gāngà.
She wanted to change the subject to avoid the awkwardness.
HSK 7-9
禅师让弟子参一个话头。
Chánshī ràng dìzǐ cān yí ge huàtóu.
The Chan master had the disciple meditate on a huatou.

Tips

history
In ordinary speech 话头 is just 'thread/topic of talk'. In Chan (Zen) Buddhism, however, 话头 is a technical term: a critical short phrase - most famously 'who is dragging this corpse around?' - that the meditator holds in mind to break through discursive thinking. The technique was systematized by Song-dynasty Linji master 大慧宗杲 (Dahui Zonggao) and remains central in modern Chan retreats.
usage
Common verb collocations: 打断话头 'interrupt', 接过话头 'pick up the thread', 换个话头 'change the subject', 找话头 'cast about for something to say'.

Stroke Order

话 huà
头 tóu