剃头挑子一头热 in English ti4 tou2 tiao1 zi5 yi1 tou2 re4 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) only one end of the barber's pole is hot (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically one-sided enthusiasm
  • one party is interested, but the other, not so much
  • (Note: In former days, street barbers carried their equipment on a pole, with tools and a stool at one end and a brazier at the other.)

Simplified Characters

剃 头 挑 子 一 头 热

Traditional Characters

剃 頭 挑 子 一 頭 熱

Pinyin

ti4 tou2 tiao1 zi5 yi1 tou2 re4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

剃ti4to shave 头tou2head 挑tiao1to carry on a shoulder pole 子zi5son 一yi1one 头tou2head 热re4to warm up