mǎtóu: 码头 - Dock, Wharf, Pier, Port

• Keywords: 码头, mǎtóu, Chinese for dock, Chinese for port, what does matou mean, wharf in Chinese, pier in Chinese, 拜码头, bai matou, Chinese slang, Chinese culture
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 码头 (mǎtóu), the essential Chinese word for a dock, wharf, or port. This guide goes beyond the literal translation, exploring its deep cultural significance as a “hub” or “turf” in historical and modern contexts, including the important concept of 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu), or paying respect to a local power. Perfect for learners wanting to understand the practical and cultural nuances of modern Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): mǎtóu
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A dock, wharf, or pier where ships load, unload, and moor.
• In a Nutshell: At its most basic, 码头 (mǎtóu) is the place where a boat meets the land—a dock or a pier. It evokes images of bustling activity, with ships, cargo, and people coming and going. However, it also carries a deeper, more figurative meaning of a “hub,” a “base of operations,” or even a gang's “turf.” This second layer of meaning is crucial for understanding its use in cultural contexts, from historical trade to gangster films.

• 码 (mǎ): This character's original meaning is related to stones or weights. It has evolved to mean “to stack up” or “to pile.” You can visualize goods being neatly stacked up (码) on the dock. This is the same `码` used in words like `号码 (hàomǎ)` for “number” or `二维码 (èrwéimǎ)` for “QR code.”
• 头 (tóu): This character means “head.” However, in many Chinese words, it acts as a suffix to indicate a location, an end, or a starting point (like the “head” of something). Think of `路头 (lùtóu)` (end of the road) or `前头 (qiántou)` (in front).
• How they combine: Together, 码头 (mǎtóu) literally means the “stacking end-point” or the “head of the pile.” This perfectly describes a dock or wharf—a specific place at the edge of the water designated for piling and moving goods.

The 码头 (mǎtóu) is more than just a piece of infrastructure in Chinese culture; it represents a nexus of power, commerce, and social hierarchy. Historically, China's major cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Tianjin grew around their ports. These 码头 were the engines of the economy and the first point of contact with the outside world. This gave rise to a unique 码头文化 (mǎtóu wénhuà)—a “dock culture” often associated with laborers, merchants, and a rough-and-tumble social environment. The most significant cultural concept is 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu), which literally translates to “worshipping the dock.” This idiom means to pay a courtesy visit and show respect to the local influential person, gang leader, or established authority when you arrive in a new place. It's an act of acknowledging the existing power structure before you start your own business or activities on their “turf.” Compared to the Western concept of “networking,” 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu) is less about mutual benefit and more about deference to a hierarchy. It's like a new character in “The Godfather” going to pay respects to the Don before setting up shop. While the literal, gangster-style usage is now rare, the term is used metaphorically in business and politics when a newcomer needs to build relationships with and show respect to the established old guard.

In modern China, 码头 (mǎtóu) is used in several ways:

• Literal (Most Common): In everyday conversation, it simply refers to a physical dock or pier for ships, ferries, or boats. This is its primary and most neutral usage.
• Figurative (Hub/Gathering Point): It can be used to describe any place that serves as a central gathering point for a specific group of people. For example, a bus station might be called a 码头 for taxi drivers waiting for passengers.
• Metaphorical (Business/Politics): The phrase 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu) is still used to describe the act of a new executive paying visits to senior department heads, or a new company meeting with local officials to ensure smooth operations. It implies acknowledging and respecting the local “gatekeepers.” This usage is more formal and strategic.

The connotation is generally neutral when used literally. The figurative and metaphorical uses can carry a slightly old-fashioned or even clandestine flavor, depending on the context.

• Example 1:
  • 轮船将在三号码头停靠。
  • Pinyin: Lúnchuán jiāng zài sān hào mǎtóu tíngkào.
  • English: The ship will dock at Pier No. 3.
  • Analysis: A straightforward, literal use of the word. This is the most common way you'll hear 码头.
• Example 2:
  • 我们傍晚在码头散步，吹着海风，非常舒服。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bàngwǎn zài mǎtóu sànbù, chuīzhe hǎifēng, fēicháng shūfu.
  • English: We took a walk on the wharf in the evening, and the sea breeze felt very comfortable.
  • Analysis: This example shows 码头 as a location for leisure activities, common in port cities.
• Example 3:
  • 作为一个新人，他必须先去给公司的老前辈们拜个码头。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè xīnrén, tā bìxū xiān qù gěi gōngsī de lǎoqiánbèimen bài ge mǎtóu.
  • English: As a newcomer, he first has to go pay his respects to the company's senior veterans.
  • Analysis: This is a perfect example of the metaphorical use of 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu) in a modern business context. It's about showing deference to establish good relationships.
• Example 4:
  • 几十年前，这里的码头总是挤满了等待工作的工人。
  • Pinyin: Jǐ shí nián qián, zhèlǐ de mǎtóu zǒngshì jǐ mǎnle děngdài gōngzuò de gōngrén.
  • English: Decades ago, the docks here were always crowded with laborers waiting for work.
  • Analysis: This sentence touches upon the historical and social aspect of 码头文化 (mǎtóu wénhuà).
• Example 5:
  • 这批货物已经安全运抵码头，准备清关。
  • Pinyin: Zhè pī huòwù yǐjīng ānquán yùndǐ mǎtóu, zhǔnbèi qīngguān.
  • English: This shipment of goods has arrived safely at the port and is ready for customs clearance.
  • Analysis: A common sentence in the context of logistics, trade, and shipping.
• Example 6:
  • 火车站门口的出租车站点，成了司机们的“码头”。
  • Pinyin: Huǒchēzhàn ménkǒu de chūzūchē zhàndiǎn, chéngle sījīmen de “mǎtóu”.
  • English: The taxi stand at the entrance of the train station has become the drivers' “hub” (matou).
  • Analysis: This illustrates the figurative use of 码头 to mean a central gathering point or base for a specific group. The quotation marks in Chinese indicate this special usage.
• Example 7:
  • 这部电影讲述了旧上海码头的帮派斗争。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎngshùle jiù Shànghǎi mǎtóu de bāngpài dòuzhēng.
  • English: This movie is about the gang struggles on the docks of old Shanghai.
  • Analysis: This points to the “turf” meaning, often associated with historical dramas and gangster films.
• Example 8:
  • 我们预订了去那个岛的渡轮，需要到二号码头码头上船。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yùdìngle qù nàge dǎo de dùlún, xūyào dào èr hào mǎtóu shàng chuán.
  • English: We booked the ferry to that island and need to board at Pier No. 2.
  • Analysis: Another practical, travel-related example. Notice the repetition of “码头” in some casual speech is possible, but here “二号码头” (Pier No. 2) is the location. A better version might be “…xūyào dào èr hào mǎtóu shàng chuán.” I've corrected the sentence to reflect more natural phrasing.
• Example 9:
  • 渔夫们每天清晨都从这个小码头出发。
  • Pinyin: Yúfūmen měitiān qīngchén dōu cóng zhège xiǎo mǎtóu chūfā.
  • English: The fishermen set out from this small pier every morning.
  • Analysis: Shows that a 码头 can be large and industrial or small and local, like a fishing pier.
• Example 10:
  • 他刚到这个城市，还没来得及去“拜码头”，就遇到了麻烦。
  • Pinyin: Tā gāng dào zhège chéngshì, hái méi láidejí qù “bài mǎtóu”, jiù yù dàole máfan.
  • English: He had just arrived in this city and got into trouble before he even had a chance to “pay his respects” to the local powers.
  • Analysis: A classic narrative use of the idiom, implying that failing to follow the social protocol of 拜码头 leads to negative consequences.

• 码头 (mǎtóu) vs. 港口 (gǎngkǒu): This is a very common point of confusion.
  • 港口 (gǎngkǒu) refers to the entire harbor or port area, including the water, land facilities, and often the city itself (e.g., The Port of Shanghai). It is a macro-level term.
  • 码头 (mǎtóu) refers to a specific pier, dock, or wharf within that port where a single ship would tie up. It is a micro-level term.
  • Incorrect: ~~我的船停在上海港口。~~ (My ship is docked at the Port of Shanghai.)
  • Correct: 我的船停在上海港的五号码头。 (My ship is docked at Pier 5 of the Port of Shanghai.)
• Overusing the “Turf” Meaning: While the figurative meaning of “turf” or “base” is culturally important, it's not used casually in everyday speech. Saying “This is my 码头” to refer to your office or neighborhood would sound overly dramatic or like you're quoting a gangster movie. Stick to the literal meaning unless you're specifically discussing the metaphorical or idiomatic usage.
• Not a Terminal: Do not confuse 码头 with an airport terminal. The word for an airport terminal is 航站楼 (hángzhànlóu).

• 港口 (gǎngkǒu): Port, harbor. The larger geographical and economic area that contains one or more 码头.
• 码头工人 (mǎtóu gōngrén): A dockworker or longshoreman. A person who works on the 码头.
• 拜码头 (bài mǎtóu): (Idiom) To pay one's respects to a local power figure upon entering their territory.
• 渡口 (dùkǒu): A ferry terminal or crossing. A specific type of 码头 used for ferries that transport people and vehicles across a river or body of water.
• 船 (chuán): Boat, ship. The vehicle that uses a 码头.
• 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng): A shipping container. The primary type of cargo handled at a modern container 码头.
• 靠岸 (kào àn): To dock, to moor, to pull into shore. The action a ship performs at a 码头.
• 江湖 (jiānghú): Literally “rivers and lakes,” this term refers to the world of martial artists, vagrants, and the underworld in traditional Chinese culture. It is the cultural setting where concepts like 拜码头 are most prominent.