Definition

Verb: * To think very hard; to rack one's brain; to brainstorm: To make a great mental effort to remember something, solve a problem, or come up with an idea. It implies a deep, intensive, and sometimes strenuous process of thinking.

Usage

The verb "nạo óc" is used to describe the act of thinking deeply and intensely. It is often used in informal contexts to emphasize the difficulty of a mental task. * It is typically followed by phrases indicating the purpose of the thinking, such as "để + [verb]" (to...), "tìm ra" (to find out), or "nghĩ ra" (to think of). * It can be used in imperative sentences to urge someone to think harder.

Usage Examples

• (I racked my brain all morning to find the bug in this code.)
• (The whole team is brainstorming to find ideas for the new marketing campaign.)
• Nạo óc đi, chắc chắn cậu nhớ tên cô ấy mà! (Think harder, you must remember her name!)

Advanced Usage

• "Vắt óc": This is a very close synonym, also meaning "to wring one's brain" or "to think extremely hard." The nuance is almost identical to "nạo óc."
  • Anh ấy vắt óc viết báo cáo. (He racked his brain writing the report.)

Variants and Related Words

• Suy nghĩ (verb): To think. This is the standard, neutral term.
• Đau đầu suy nghĩ (verb phrase): To have a headache from thinking; to be troubled by a difficult thought.
• Căng não (adjective/verb phrase, slang): Literally "brain strain"; used to describe a situation or puzzle that requires intense thinking.

Synonyms

• Cố gắng nhớ / nghĩ: To try hard to remember/think.
• Tập trung suy nghĩ: To concentrate on thinking.
• Động não: To use one's brain; to think (often in a productive, creative context like brainstorming).

Related Idioms

• "Nặn óc": Literally "to squeeze one's brain." Similar to "nạo óc" and "vắt óc," it means to think very hard to produce an idea, often under pressure.
  • Phải nặn óc mới viết nổi bài văn này. (I had to squeeze my brain to write this essay.)

verb

1. to rake one's brain