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动脑筋 (dòng nǎo jīn) — to use one's brains; to rack one's brains; to think hard; to scheme; to plot to get something (often with a negative connotation)

Definition

动脑筋 literally means 'move one's brain' — i.e. think hard or rack one's brains. Often negative when paired with 歪: 别动歪脑筋 means 'don't scheme / don't get cunning ideas'.

verb
to use one's brainsto rack one's brainsto think hardto schemeto plot to get something (often with a negative connotation)

Examples

  • ，动脑筋。
    Yù dào kùn nan shí, duō dòng nǎo jīn jiù néng zhǎo dào bàn fǎ.
    When you encounter difficulties, use your brains more and you will find a solution.
  • ，。
    Tā dòng le bàn tiān nǎo jīn, zhōng yú xiǎng chū le yí gè hǎo zhǔ yì.
    He racked his brains for a long time and finally came up with a good idea.
  • ，。
    Bié dòng wāi nǎo jīn xiǎng zhàn pián yi, yào tā tā shi shí gōng zuò.
    Don't scheme to get an advantage; work diligently and steadily.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

动dòngmove
脑筋mind
脑nǎobrain筋jīnsinew
联合Coordinate

动 means to move, and 脑筋 refers to the mind; together they mean to make the mind work.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

筋 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 𠛧 (peel), giving the idea of sinewy fibers from peeled bamboo.

Open 筋 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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