- 顶头上司 dǐngtóushàngsi immediate superiorone's direct boss or immediate superior; can also refer to the office or organization directly in charge
- 气头上 qìtoushang in a fit of angerin a fit of anger; during a moment of intense irritation or a foul mood
- 太岁头上动土 tàisuìtóushangdòngtǔ to provoke a powerful person(idiom) to provoke someone far more powerful; literally 'digging earth over the head of the God of the Year', referring to an ancient superstition that construction in the direction of the planet Jupiter would bring bad luck
- 火头上 huǒtoushang height of angerThe peak of one's anger; in a fit of rage
- 老虎头上拍苍蝇 lǎohǔtóushàngpāicāngying dangerousTo swat a fly on a tiger's head, describing a situation that is extremely dangerous or an act of reckless audacity; looking for trouble
- 头上安头 tóushàng'āntóu superfluousto install a head on top of a head; to do something unnecessary or redundant
- 狗头上生角 gǒutóushàngshēngjiǎo impossible(idiom) something that can never happen; a completely impossible event or a very strange phenomenon, literally meaning "horns growing on a dog's head"
- 老虎头上打苍蝇 lǎohǔtóushangdǎcāngying extremely dangerousto swat a fly on a tiger's head; an idiom meaning to take great risks or provoke a powerful person
- 色字头上一把刀 sèzìtóushàngyībǎdāo lasciviousness leads to ruinLiterally there is a knife above the character for lust [[色|色|se4]]; used as a warning that indulging in sexual desire or lascivious behavior leads to disastrous consequences.
- 头上负荷 tóushangfùhè headloadthe load or weight carried on top of the head
- 心字头上一把刀 xīnzìtóushàngyībǎdāo [xiehouyu] to endure itA two-part phrase (xiehouyu) meaning "to endure it"; the character [[忍|忍|ren3]] consists of a knife above the heart, implying that one must endure even the most painful of circumstances.