The soft, fleshy organ enclosed inside the skull. Brain, mind, intellect, mental effort; also forms words like 电脑 (computer). Flesh (月) tucked inside the skull/pit shape (㐫).
English speakers may literally translate 'brain machine' as 脑机, but the natural Chinese word for computer is 电脑.
Standalone 脑 is bound; to say 'my brain' you need 我的脑子 or 我的大脑.
电脑 literally means 'electric brain', a vivid metaphor for a machine that thinks.
In Chinese, 脑 alone usually refers to the biological brain. When combined with 电 (electric), it becomes 电脑, the everyday word for computer. English speakers should treat 电脑 as a fixed vocabulary item, not as a literal phrase to be translated word-for-word.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 电脑 = computer | 脑 = brain (body part) |
| Usage | Use 电脑 for the device | Do not use 脑 alone for a computer |
| Example | 我用电脑写字。 | 我用脑写字。 |
脑 (nǎo) means brain; 恼 (nǎo) means annoyed or to anger.
Both characters share the same pronunciation and the same right-side component, but their radicals differ. 脑 has the flesh radical 月, indicating a body part. 恼 has the heart radical 忄, indicating an emotion. Remember: flesh for the organ, heart for the feeling.
| Dimension | 脑 | 恼 |
|---|---|---|
| Radical | 月 (flesh) | 忄 (heart) |
| Meaning | brain | annoyed; to anger |
| Example | 大脑 (brain) | 烦恼 (trouble; worry) |
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
我：“上个星期天，你说你喜欢他们的那个桌子和那个 电脑椅 。
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
超市非常小， 电脑 没脑子 ，电话不能打。
This short, soothing piece is about missing someone on a rainy night. The sentences are simple and repeat often, so you can practice reading while feeling the warm emotion.
我看着 电脑 ，写下了几个字：小雨，我想你。
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
去年买了新 电脑 。
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