dung6 nou5 gan1動腦筋动脑筋

Jyutpingdung6 nou5 gan1

Yaleduhng nóuh gān

動詞Rare

Definition

To think hard, use one's brains, or ponder over something.

colloquialdaily actionspeople

How it's used

Focuses on the active process of brainstorming or finding a clever solution to a problem rather than just passive thinking. It often implies that the subject is currently stuck or facing a challenge that requires creativity or strategy to overcome. Using the particle 下 after the verb is very common to soften the tone and suggest a brief or trial effort at thinking.

Examples

nei5你zou6做je5嘢jiu3要dung6動haa5下nou5腦gan1筋sin1先dak1得㗎。

You need to use your brain a bit when you work.

le1呢gin2件si6事hou2好fuk1複zaap6雜，nei5你jiu3要dung6動nou5腦gan1筋nam2諗haa5下dim2點gaai2解kyut3決。

This matter is very complex, you need to think hard about how to solve it.

Related words

see alsonam2諗námsynonymlam2 gai3諗計lám gai

Common phrases

dung6動haa5下nou5腦gan1筋

to think a little bit

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe simple reflection or pondering, as it specifically carries the nuance of exerting mental effort to solve a puzzle or overcome an obstacle. It is not a synonym for simply thinking about something, which is better expressed by 諗.