- 出头之日 chūtóuzhīrì day of successThe long-awaited day when one emerges from a period of hardship or difficulty to find success or freedom.
- 出头鸟 chūtouniǎo the bird that sticks its head outa person who stands out, takes the lead, or shows off, often becoming a target for criticism or attack
- 枪打出头鸟 qiāngdǎchūtóuniǎo the shot hits the bird that pokes its head outThe person who takes the lead or stands out from the crowd is the first to be attacked or punished; nonconformity gets punished.
- 出头露面 chūtóulòumiàn to appear in publicTo appear in a public setting or make a public appearance; to take the lead or initiative in public.
- 出头露角 chūtóulùjiǎo to rise to prominenceTo stand out from the crowd due to outstanding talent; to rise in the world or make a name for oneself.
- 出头的椽子先烂 chūtóudechuánzixiānlàn the nail that sticks out gets hammered downLiterally "rafters that jut out rot first"; anyone who makes themselves conspicuous will be the first to be targeted for attack or criticism
- 强出头 qiángchūtóu stick one's neck outto push oneself forward or meddle in matters that do not concern oneself, often inviting trouble
- 出头天 chūtóutiān to see better days(colloquial) To step out of a difficult situation into a period of success or relief; to finally make it out of a hardship. Originally from Southern Min dialect.
- 烦恼皆因强出头 fánnǎojiēyīnqiángchūtóu trouble comes from sticking one's neck outProverb meaning that taking on unnecessary responsibilities or forcing oneself into a situation leads to worry and trouble; often used to advise against being a busybody or overreaching, originally appearing in Yuan dynasty dramas such as Maling Dao and Lianhuan Ji
- 熬出头 áochūtóu to see the light at the end of the tunnelTo have finally endured a long period of hardship and achieved success; to have one's efforts finally pay off.
