脑袋

腦袋

nǎodai

noun HSK 4 #1,320

Meanings

Literally "brain bag" - the container for your brain, i.e. your head.

HSK 1

你的脑袋里在想什么？

Nǐ de nǎodai lǐ zài xiǎng shénme?

What are you thinking about in that head of yours?

HSK 5

他撞到了脑袋。

Tā zhuàngdào le nǎodai.

He bumped his head.

HSK 5

他脑袋很聪明。

Tā nǎodai hěn cōngming.

He has a smart brain.

usage

脑袋 is more colloquial than 头. Use 头 in neutral contexts and 脑袋 in casual speech or when emphasizing brainpower. 摇脑袋 means to shake one's head.

memory

Picture a bag (袋) containing a brain (脑) sitting on your shoulders - that is your 脑袋.

脑 nǎo

袋 dài