‘光头’ (guāng tóu) literally means ‘light head’ — ‘光’ (guāng) means ‘bare’, ‘smooth’, or ‘shiny’, and ‘头’ (tóu) means ‘head’. Together, they describe a head with no hair — a bald head. It is a neutral, descriptive term commonly used in everyday speech and medical contexts.

In informal spoken Chinese, especially among young people, ‘光头’ has taken on a playful slang meaning: ‘bachelor’ (a single man), drawing humorous analogy between a bare head and an ‘unoccupied’ marital status. This usage is lighthearted and not appropriate in formal writing or professional settings. The slang sense often appears in jokes, social media, or casual banter, and may carry teasing or self-deprecating connotations depending on context.