<p><code>出头</code> has three usages:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Its literal/narrow meaning is <code>make public appearance</code>. A synonym is the Chengyu <code>出头露面</code>. Its extended meaning is <code>stand out; show off</code>.</p></li>
<li><p>It can be used as short for <code>出风头</code> which exclusively means <code>show off</code>.</p></li>
<li><p>It can be used as short for <code>出人头地</code> which means <code>stand out among peers; become successful</code>. For this meaning, <code>出人头地</code> sounds natural but <code>出头</code> sounds somewhat vengeful.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>In your context, without having watched the movie, I <em>think</em> it is the third meaning 'become successful (in a vengeful tone)'.</p>

<p><code>打</code> can be its narrow meaning <code>beat up</code>, or generalized <code>boxing; kong-fu</code>, or metaphorical <code>use one's abilities; struggle</code>. Since it's a Bruce Lee movie I guess it's a mix of the 2nd and 3rd meanings.</p>

<p>So as a whole, <code>打出头</code> means <code>Struggle and successfully avenge using kong-fu</code>.</p>

<p>Side note: those words and meanings are not exclusive to Cantonese, they are the same in Mandarin, but the formality is different. In Mandarin those words are considered colloquial and in the past it might not be formal enough for a movie title. In the recent years however, movie titles have become less 'literary' and anything is accepted. Admittedly this is a controversial topic that native Cantonese speakers may disagree; I am only speaking from my own perspective as a native Mandarin speaker from Northern China.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-23T21:01:59.353Z
great answer, i do not think it is a literary title, the scripwriter is wong jing.
meireikei
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-23T20:55:44.067Z
2014-11-23T20:55:44.067Z
NS.X.
<p>Well, I'm not sure if you saw that in 枪打出头鸟.</p>

<p>It means the gun always shoot the bird which always show off. Elder in family teach children keep low profile.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-29T15:20:25.740Z
2014-11-29T15:20:25.740Z
Derek Liu
<p>The three characters are very frequent ones, but nethertheless I find it hard to understand the meaning.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-23T20:08:14.170Z
Is it a mandarin expression? Or some dialect?
Falang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-23T20:24:16.727Z
It is the title of a cantonese bruceploitation movie from 1979, english title: the lama avenger, german title: bruce lai der killerhai.
meireikei
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-23T20:30:29.853Z
I see. I think you'd better add the tag of Cantonese to your post.
Falang
<translation><cantonese>
What is the translation for 打出頭?
# What is the translation for 打出頭?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-23)

The three characters are very frequent ones, but nethertheless I find it hard to understand the meaning.

**Tags:** translation, cantonese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is it a mandarin expression? Or some dialect?  
> **username_0**: It is the title of a cantonese bruceploitation movie from 1979, english title: the lama avenger, german title: bruce lai der killerhai.  
> **username_1**: I see. I think you'd better add the tag of Cantonese to your post.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-11-23. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

`出头` has three usages:

1. Its literal/narrow meaning is `make public appearance`. A synonym is the Chengyu `出头露面`. Its extended meaning is `stand out; show off`.
2. It can be used as short for `出风头` which exclusively means `show off`.
3. It can be used as short for `出人头地` which means `stand out among peers; become successful`. For this meaning, `出人头地` sounds natural but `出头` sounds somewhat vengeful.

In your context, without having watched the movie, I *think* it is the third meaning 'become successful (in a vengeful tone)'.

`打` can be its narrow meaning `beat up`, or generalized `boxing; kong-fu`, or metaphorical `use one's abilities; struggle`. Since it's a Bruce Lee movie I guess it's a mix of the 2nd and 3rd meanings.

So as a whole, `打出头` means `Struggle and successfully avenge using kong-fu`.

Side note: those words and meanings are not exclusive to Cantonese, they are the same in Mandarin, but the formality is different. In Mandarin those words are considered colloquial and in the past it might not be formal enough for a movie title. In the recent years however, movie titles have become less 'literary' and anything is accepted. Admittedly this is a controversial topic that native Cantonese speakers may disagree; I am only speaking from my own perspective as a native Mandarin speaker from Northern China.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: great answer, i do not think it is a literary title, the scripwriter is wong jing.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-11-29. Score: 1

Well, I'm not sure if you saw that in 枪打出头鸟.

It means the gun always shoot the bird which always show off. Elder in family teach children keep low profile.


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