Definition

1. Noun (Anatomy):

   • Brain: The soft, whitish organ inside the skull of humans and animals, responsible for thought, memory, and controlling bodily functions.

2. Noun (Figurative):

   • Mind; intellect; mentality: The human brain as a symbol of consciousness, thought, intelligence, or a particular way of thinking.
   • Sense; spirit; inclination: A natural aptitude, awareness, or tendency in a specific area.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Anatomy):

  • Chấn thương có thể làm tổn thương óc. (An injury can damage the brain.)
  • Món óc lợn hấp là một đặc sản. (Steamed pig's brain is a specialty.)

• Noun (Figurative):

  • Anh ấy có óc phân tích rất tốt. (He has a very good analytical mind.)
  • Nhà thiết kế cần có óc thẩm mỹ. (A designer needs an aesthetic sense.)
  • Nghĩ nát óc mà vẫn không ra đáp án. (I've puzzled my brains but still can't find the answer.)

Advanced Usage

• "óc sáng tạo": creative mind; creativity.

  • Công việc này đòi hỏi óc sáng tạo cao. (This job requires a high level of creativity.)

• "óc địa vị": a mind obsessed with status and position.

  • Đừng để óc địa vị chi phối hành động. (Don't let a status-obsessed mentality dictate your actions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Óc non (n): immature/undeveloped mind (often used for children or naive thinking).

  • Đó là một quyết định của óc non. (That was a decision of an immature mind.)

• Óc chó (n): 1. Literally "walnut brain" (a culinary term for walnut meat, resembling brain folds). 2. (Slang) A clever, cunning mind.

  • Hắn ta có cái óc chó, mưu mẹo lắm. (He has a cunning mind, very scheming.)

Synonyms

• Brain: the physical organ (anatomy).
• Mind: the element of a person that enables thought, feeling, and consciousness.
• Intellect: the faculty of reasoning and understanding.
• Mentality: a characteristic way of thinking.
• Sense: a natural feeling or perception (e.g., a sense of beauty).

Related Idioms

• Nghĩ nát óc / Vắt óc suy nghĩ: to puzzle one's brains; to think extremely hard.

  • Tôi đã vắt óc suy nghĩ về vấn đề đó. (I've been racking my brains over that problem.)

• Óc bã đậu: (lit. "tofu brain") a derogatory term for a stupid, slow mind.

  • Giải thích mãi không hiểu, đúng là óc bã đậu! (I've explained it repeatedly and he still doesn't get it, what a tofu brain!)

noun

1. brain
   • nghĩ nát óc
     to puzzle one's brains. spirit; mind
   • có óc minh mẫn
     to have a clear mind