| head; (noun suffix) | forehead; skull | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (頭顱) | 頭 | 顱 | |
| simp. (头颅) | 头 | 颅 | |
According to Schuessler (2007), cognate with 髑髏 (OC *doːɡ roː, “skull”) and 𩑒顱 (MC dak|traek|trhaek lu, “skull”). The word is reminiscent of Mizo lu ro (“skull”) (lit. "dried head") and Mizo lu ruh (“skull”) (lit. "head-bone"), just as in Chinese the first syllable is "head". The second syllable, 顱 (OC *b·raː), is likely a reduplication syllable beginning with *r/*l. See 髑髏／髑髅 (dúlóu) for more.
Note this compound is attested earlier than 顱／颅 (lú).
頭顱