The New Dictionary.
Search dictionary
Chinese/Dictionary entry

绞尽脑汁

jiǎo jìn nǎo zhīdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
to rack one's brains
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-5fa61c5c8413ea6f. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

絞盡腦汁 绞尽脑汁 [jiao3 jin4 nao3 zhi1] /to rack one's brains/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 絞盡腦汁

  • 绞
    jiǎo

    to twist (strands into a thread) / to entangle / to wring / to hang (by the neck) / to turn / to wind / classifier for skeins of yarn

  • 尽
    jǐn

    to the greatest extent / (when used before a noun of location) furthest or extreme / to be within the limits of / to give priority to

    jìn

    to use up / to exhaust / to end / to finish / to the utmost / exhausted / finished / to the limit (of sth) / all / entirely

  • 脑
    nǎo

    brain / mind / head / essence

  • 汁
    zhī

    juice

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.