nou5 gan1腦筋脑筋
Jyutpingnou5 gan1
Yalenóuh gān
Definition
One's brains, mind, or cognitive ability to think.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Refers specifically to mental agility or the capacity for logical thought rather than the physical organ. It is frequently paired with adjectives describing speed or flexibility, such as 靈活 or 轉數快, to praise someone for being clever or resourceful. When someone is described as 腦筋急轉彎, it refers to a brain teaser or riddle that requires lateral thinking.
Examples
He is very smart, quick-witted, and has a sharp mind.
This matter is very complicated, you need to use your brain more to come up with a solution.
Related words
Common phrases
to use one's brain
sharp-minded
brain teaser
Common mistake
Avoid using this to refer to the physical brain inside the skull, for which the word 腦 is used instead. Using 腦筋 to describe a medical condition or physical injury will sound unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
