brain
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brain
The organ in the head of humans and vertebrates that serves as the center of the nervous system and is responsible for thinking, feeling, and controlling the body.
Das menschliche Gehirn wiegt durchschnittlich etwa 1,4 Kilogramm.
The human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms on average.
In a figurative sense, 'das Gehirn' (the brain/brains) refers to the person who is the intelligent mind or main planner behind an action. It always refers to a person.
Er war das kreative Gehirn des gesamten Projekts.
He was the creative brains of the entire project.
The figurative meaning is very often used in the fixed expression 'das Gehirn hinter etwas (Dativ) sein' (to be the brains behind something).
Die Polizei sucht immer noch nach dem Gehirn hinter dem Banküberfall.
The police are still looking for the brains behind the bank robbery.
There are several idioms with 'Gehirn' (brain) that relate to thinking. Examples include 'sich das Gehirn zermartern' (to rack one's brain) or 'sein Gehirn anstrengen' (to use one's brain / concentrate hard).
Ich muss mein Gehirn wirklich anstrengen, um diese Aufgabe zu lösen.
I really have to use my brain to solve this task.
head
'der Kopf' and 'das Gehirn' are closely connected because the brain is in the head and is important for thinking. 'Kopf' means the whole upper body part with the face, eyes, mouth, and hair. In everyday language, 'Kopf' can also stand for thinking or remembering. 'Gehirn', by contrast, means specifically the organ in the head. Learners may confuse the words because, when talking about thoughts, both often come to mind. For the body part, use 'Kopf'; for the organ or medical contexts, use 'Gehirn'.
Das Gehirn braucht Pausen, besonders nach vielen Stunden Lernen.
The brain needs breaks, especially after many hours of studying.
Beim Fahrradfahren trägt Lena immer einen Helm auf dem Kopf.
When cycling, Lena always wears a helmet on her head.