How to Write 顶 (dǐng) — Meaning “top; crown; to push from below”

Imagine a person standing on the top of a mountain, holding a large nail (丁) on their head (页) to mark the peak. The nail (丁) sounds like 'ding' and represents the action of pushing upward. This visual helps you link the left component 丁 with the radical 页 to mean 'top.'

Start by writing the left component 丁: horizontal line, then vertical hook. Then write the right radical 页: first a horizontal line, then a left-falling stroke (撇), followed by a vertical stroke, a box shape, and finally the two inner strokes (a short horizontal and a short vertical) before closing the box. A common mistake is making the left component too wide or misplacing the vertical hook; keep 丁 narrow so the whole character stays balanced. Also ensure the final stroke of 页 is a short downward stroke, not a dot.

页 (yè) is a standalone radical meaning 'head' or 'page' and is the base of many head-related characters, while 顶 always has the left component 丁 and means 'top.' 顷 (qǐng) looks similar but has a different left side (匕 instead of 丁) and means 'a short while' or 'just now' (and also a unit of land area). Visually, 顶 has a nail-like left side (丁), while 顷 has a spoon-like left side (匕).

顶 is commonly used to refer to physical tops, such as 山顶 (mountain top), 屋顶 (roof), and 顶楼 (top floor). In internet culture, 顶 (dǐng) is used as a verb meaning to 'bump' or 'support' a forum post to keep it visible, similar to 'upvote.' Culturally, the phrase 顶天立地 (dǐng tiān lì dì) describes a heroic person who 'supports heaven and stands on earth,' symbolizing strength and integrity.

Common words containing 顶 include: 山顶 (shān dǐng) — Mountain top; 顶楼 (dǐng lóu) — top floor; attic; 屋顶 (wū dǐng) — Roof..