head, counter for large animals
頭 centers on the head as the topmost part of a person or animal. The counter-for-large-animals sense extends from counting heads as units.
頭 combines 豆 (a ritual vessel, here likely used for its sound) with 頁 (head), forming a phono-semantic character for 'head'.
The left side 豆 looks like a round container, and the right side 頁 is a head with an eye at the bottom. Picture a head as the container for the brain, like a bean-shaped vessel sitting on top of the body.
For トウ, imagine touching the top of your head with your toe: toe -> トウ, and you feel your head.
counter for large animals (e.g. head of cattle); counter for insects in a collection; counter for helmets, masks, etc.
head
headache
beginning; opening; start; outset
head (of a line, group, etc.); front; lead; forefront; vanguard
shopfront; storefront; shopwindow; (near the) shop entrance
head
brush tip
head; brains
(on the) street
rise (e.g. of a movement); emergence; rearing one's head; gaining prominence; coming to the fore; gaining power; gathering strength
beginning (of a century, etc.)
immersing oneself in; being absorbed in; devoting oneself to; giving oneself up entirely to
(on one's) mind; heed
oral; verbal; spoken; parol
overhead; above one's head; high in the sky
first letter of a word; capital letter (at the start of a word or sentence)
lead (in a cheer, toast, song, etc.); (someone's) lead
warhead
appearance; presence; attendance
hair (on the head)
(bank) president
deputy head teacher; vice principal
nuclear warhead
rank-and-file wrestlers in the highest division
inner canthus; inner corner of the eye
reaching a peak; reaching the limit; plateauing; maxing out
down payment; deposit
skull
top of the head
obstinate person; stubbornness; pigheadedness
society president
beginning of the year
head of an army
oral proceedings; oral pleadings