Definition
This is a four-character idiom (成语, chéngyǔ) meaning 'to rack one's brains' — to think very hard or exert mental effort to solve a problem or come up with an idea. The literal image is 'wringing out the last drops of brain juice', so it's always used figuratively. It functions as a verb phrase and cannot be split.
v.o.
to rack one's brainsto think hardto cudgel one's brains
Examples
- ，绞尽脑汁。Wèile jiějué zhège jìshù nántí, zhěng gè tuánduì jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī xiǎng le sān tiān sān yè.To solve this technical problem, the entire team racked their brains for three days and nights.
- 绞尽脑汁。Tā jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī xiě chū le yì piān fēicháng jīngcǎi de lùnwén.He racked his brains and wrote a brilliant paper.
- ，绞尽脑汁。Lǎoshī de wèntí tài diāozuān le, xuéshēng men gègè jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī háishì dá bù shàng lái.The teacher's question was so tricky that every student racked their brains and still couldn't answer.
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