床头 (chuáng tóu) literally means 'head of the bed' — combining 床 (chuáng), meaning 'bed', and 头 (tóu), meaning 'head' or 'top end'. It refers specifically to the part of the bed where one’s head rests when lying down, not the foot end. This term is commonly used in spatial descriptions, furniture placement, and daily routines involving bedtime activities.

In everyday usage, 床头 often appears in phrases like 床头柜 (chuáng tóu guì, 'nightstand'), 床头灯 (chuáng tóu dēng, 'bedside lamp'), or when giving directions ('Put the book on the bed head'). Unlike generic terms for location (e.g., 上面), 床头 is a fixed compound noun with a precise physical reference point — always the head-end side of a standard bed, regardless of orientation in the room.