金魚腦 Jīnyú nǎo

金魚腦/金鱼脑 Jīnyú nǎo

Noun. (Literal meaning is goldfish brain)

Like the English phrase ‘the memory of a goldfish’, we use it to describe people who have a very poor memory and forget things quickly. One thing you need to know is that normally the verb before a noun would be 有 yǒu, but in this phrase, we use 是 shì instead.

This is not a very rude expression. We use it a lot with friends (remember to add a nice emoji, not an angry one) or for self-deprecation.

他tā老是lǎoshì忘記wàngjì我的wǒde生日shēngrì， 我wǒ發誓fāshì他tā一定yídìng是shì金魚腦jīnyúnǎo他tā老是lǎoshì忘记wàngjì我的wǒde生日shēngrì， 我wǒ发誓fāshì他tā一定yídìng是shì金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo
He always forgets my birthday. I swear he has the memory of a goldfish!

你nǐ知道zhīdào我wǒ是shì金魚腦jīnyúnǎo嘛ma， 可以kěyǐ再zài提醒tíxǐng我wǒ一次yícì嗎ma? 你nǐ知道zhīdào我wǒ是shì金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo嘛ma， 可以kěyǐ再zài提醒tíxǐng我wǒ一次yícì吗ma?
You do know I have a short memory, so could you please remind me again?

她tā是shì有名yǒumíng的de金魚腦jīnyúnǎo， 你nǐ最好zuìhǎo出門chūmén前qián再zài提醒tíxǐng她tā一次yícì她tā是shì有名yǒumíng的de金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo， 你nǐ最好zuìhǎo出门chūmén前qián再zài提醒tíxǐng她tā一次yícì
She’s a goldfish brain as we all know. You’d better remind her again before you go out.

Conversation

Chinese scriptDownload

English Translation

Are you busy? I have something to tell you.

Sure, what’s on your mind?

I forgot…

You have the memory of a goldfish! How could you forget? It was just 10 minutes ago.

I really don’t remember what I was planning to say. All I remember is that I had something to tell you.

I think that maybe goldfish have better memory than you.

F.Y.I

It is commonly believed around the world that goldfish have short memories. In the US, people say it’s only 10 seconds, while in Europe it’s 2 seconds, and in Korea and Taiwan, it’s 3 seconds. However, is it really true? Scientists have actually proven that goldfish memories are not as short as three seconds. These beautiful creatures can remember things for at least five months.

금붕어

명사

你nǐ又yòu忘記wàngjì了le， 你nǐ是shì金魚腦jīnyúnǎo嗎ma? 你nǐ又yòu忘记wàngjì了le， 你nǐ是shì金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo吗ma?
또 까먹었어요? 기억력이 금붕어에요?

你nǐ是shì金魚腦jīnyúnǎo嗎ma？ 為什麼wèishénme都dōu記不住jìbúzhù？ 你nǐ是shì金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo吗ma？ 为什么wèishénme都dōu记不住jìbúzhù？
너 금붕어야? 왜 다 기억 못해?

鳥頭

名詞

我wǒ是shì金魚腦jīnyúnǎo， 不小心bùxiǎoxīn忘記wàngjì了le昨天zuótiān的de約定yuēdìng我wǒ是shì金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo， 不小心bùxiǎoxīn忘记wàngjì了le昨天zuótiān的de约定yuēdìng
鳥頭で、昨日の約束を忘れてしまった。

他tā真是zhēnshì個ge金魚腦jīnyúnǎo， 老是lǎoshì忘記wàngjì帶dài鑰匙yàoshǐ他tā真是zhēnshì个ge金鱼脑jīnyúnǎo， 老是lǎoshì忘记wàngjì带dài钥匙yàoshi
彼は本当に鳥頭で、鍵を持ってくることを忘れることがよくある。