Definitions

nǎo (noun) brain
nǎo (noun) head

Etymology

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 𡿺 represents the sound.

Semantic:

About

The character for "brain" historically used the traditional form "腦", constructed with the "肉" (flesh) radical conventionally written as "月" on the left, and a right-hand component that integrates "囟" symbolizing the fontanel within a more intricate form alluding to the organ's physical appearance. This was streamlined to the simplified "脑", where the right side is exclusively "囟", preserving the anatomical reference while simplifying the graphic form. Originally denoting solely the physical organ, the character's semantic range gradually extended through its use in linguistic compounds to incorporate aspects of the mind, intellectual capacity, and by analogy, central control functions.

Example Sentences Hide

我用电工作。

Wǒ yòng diànnǎo gōngzuò.

I use a computer to work.

控制身体。

Dànǎo kòngzhì shēntǐ.

The brain controls the body.

我的袋很疼。

Wǒ de nǎodai hěn téng.

My head hurts a lot.

筋解决问题。

Dòng nǎojīn jiějué wèntí.

Use your brain to solve problems.

力劳动很重要。

Nǎolì láodòng hěn zhòngyào.

Mental labor is very important.

他的洞非常大。

Tā de nǎodòng fēicháng dà.

His imagination is very vast.

科学是前沿学科。

Nǎo kēxué shì qiányán xuékē.

Brain science is a frontier discipline.

研究表明大具有可塑性。

Yánjiū biǎomíng dànǎo jùyǒu kěsùxìng.

Research shows that the brain has plasticity.