腦 / 脑
nou⁵
In Cantonese, the English word 'brain' is expressed as 腦 / 脑 (nou⁵). If unsure, use 腦 / 脑. Wiktionary also lists 腦部 / 脑部 (nou⁵ bou⁶).
Meaning: organ (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 腦 / 脑 | nou⁵ |
| 腦部 / 脑部 | nou⁵ bou⁶ |
The single character 腦 / 脑 is a common and straightforward way to refer to the brain. It is frequently used in compound words and idioms. For example, 腦袋 (nou⁵ doi⁶) literally translates to 'brain bag' but is the standard way to say 'head' or 'brain' when discussing intelligence or the physical organ in casual conversation.
Which one should you use?
While 腦 / 脑 refers generally to the brain, 腦部 / 脑部 is a more specific term used to refer to the 'brain part' or 'brain region'.
How do you pronounce it?
nou⁵
Did you know?
- The phrase 腦筋打結 (nou⁵ gan¹ da² git¹), meaning 'brain tendons are knotted', is used to describe a state of mental confusion or being stuck on a problem.
- In Cantonese, describing someone as having a 'hard' brain (腦袋硬) doesn't mean they are smart, but that they are stubborn and refuse to change their mind.
- If you call someone 腦殘 (nou⁵ caan⁴), you are calling them 'brain damaged', which is a common, highly insulting slang term for someone acting stupidly.
Examples in context
- 大腦控制著我們的思維和行為。The brain controls our thinking and behavior.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brain” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
