DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

寧為雞頭，不為鳳尾

简宁为鸡头，不为凤尾 · 繁寧為雞頭，不為鳳尾

Mandarin · pinyin nìng wéi jī tóu , bù wéi fèng wěi

see 寧做雞頭，不做鳳尾 nìng zuò jī tóu, bù zuò fèng wěi

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

寧: Look up this written character
為: Look up this written character
雞: jī · chickens; domestic fowl
頭: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
鳳: Look up this written character
尾: wěi · tail, extremity; end, stern; 6th lunar mansion, determinative star μ¹ Scorpii (Xamidimura)
宁: níng · calm, peaceful, serene; healthy
为: wèi · do, handle, govern, act; be
鸡: jī · chicken
头: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
凤: fèng · male phoenix; symbol of joy

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Connected dictionary

9character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

寧為雞頭，不為鳳尾 · find source passages ↗ · 宁为鸡头，不为凤尾 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗