Meaning of 脑子
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- brains
- mind
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 脑子
脑子 is the casual, spoken word for brain and is often used to talk about thinking ability or memory. It appears in many common phrases like 动脑子 (dòng nǎozi, use your head). Example: 他脑子很快。(Tā nǎozi hěn kuài.) He thinks quickly.
脑 (nǎo) has the flesh radical 月 on the left, so think of it as a body part, the brain. Add the noun suffix 子 (zi) and you get 脑子, the everyday word for your brain or mind.
Common mistake: Learners often read 子 here with a full third tone, but in 脑子 it is neutral: nǎozi, not nǎo zǐ. Also, the right side of 脑 is not 凶 alone; it has a small 亠-like top over 凶, so do not drop those top strokes.
脑子 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
脑 nǎo · brain · 10 strokes
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- 3
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子 zi · noun suffix · 3 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 脑子.
Questions about 脑子
What does 脑子 mean?
脑子 (nǎozi) means "brains; mind" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 脑子?
脑子 is made of 2 characters: 脑 (10 strokes), 子 (3 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 脑子 an HSK word?
Yes. 脑子 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 脑子 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 脑子 is written 腦子.
What is the difference between 脑子 and 大脑?
大脑 (dànǎo) is more formal or scientific and refers to the physical brain, especially the cerebrum. 脑子 is the everyday word and is used more for thinking, cleverness, or memory.
Is it rude to say someone has no 脑子?
Yes. Saying 你没脑子 (nǐ méi nǎozi) or 脑子有问题 (nǎozi yǒu wèntí) means calling someone stupid or crazy. Use these only with close friends as a joke, or avoid them.