A2 Idiom 중립

頭を悩ます

atama o nayama su

Worry one's head about

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this when a problem is so tricky it’s giving you a metaphorical headache.

  • Means: To be deeply troubled or to rack one's brains over a difficult problem.
  • Used in: Work deadlines, difficult choices, or complex social situations.
  • Don't confuse: Don't use it for simple physical headaches; it's for mental distress.
🧩 + 🤔 = {頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you have a big problem and you are thinking very hard. 'Atama' is head. 'Nayamasu' is to worry. So, your head is worrying. Use it when homework is difficult or you don't know what to do. It is like saying 'This is a hard puzzle for my brain.'
At the A2 level, you can use this idiom to describe being troubled by a specific situation. It's more than just 'thinking'; it's 'struggling to find an answer.' You use the particle 'ni' to show what is causing the trouble. For example, 'I am troubled by money' is '{お金|おかね}に{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます.' It's a very useful phrase for daily life problems.
This idiom describes the mental exertion required to solve complex problems. It functions as a transitive expression where the subject 'troubles' their own head. It's commonly used in both personal and professional contexts to indicate that a solution isn't straightforward. It carries a nuance of persistence—you've been thinking about this for a while and it's still not solved.
In upper-intermediate Japanese, '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます' is recognized as a standard idiomatic expression for 'racking one's brains.' It implies a significant cognitive load and often appears in news reports regarding socio-economic issues. It's important to distinguish it from '{頭|あたま}が{痛|いた}い,' which can be literal, whereas '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます' is strictly about the process of struggling with a dilemma or a complex task.
This phrase encapsulates the psychological state of being beset by a problem that defies easy resolution. Linguistically, the use of the transitive verb '{悩|なや}ます' suggests an active, albeit painful, engagement with the issue. In C1 contexts, you might analyze how this phrase reflects the Japanese cultural emphasis on 'hansei' (reflection) and the intellectual labor expected in high-stakes decision-making. It is often used to describe systemic issues or intricate interpersonal dynamics in literature.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます' serves as a conceptual metaphor where mental labor is mapped onto physical distress. Mastery at the C2 level involves navigating the subtle register shifts between this idiom and its more formal counterparts like '{苦慮|くりょ}する' or its more evocative relatives like '{頭|あたま}を{抱|かか}える.' It is a quintessential example of how Japanese utilizes somatic idioms to express internal cognitive states, reflecting a holistic view of the mind-body connection in problem-solving.

뜻

To be troubled or concerned about a problem, often to the point of distress.

🌍

문화적 배경

In Japanese business culture, showing that you are '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ませている' can be a way to demonstrate 'sincerity' ({誠実|せいじつ}). It shows you aren't taking the client's problem lightly. While Japanese values the 'process' of worrying, some Western business cultures might prefer 'problem-solving' language like 'brainstorming' which sounds more active and less 'pained'. In Japanese universities, this phrase is often used by professors to describe 'unsolved mysteries' in science, making the problem sound like a living opponent.

🎯

Use with 'ni'

Always remember the particle 'ni' for the cause. It's the most natural way to link the problem to the phrase.

⚠️

Not for small things

Don't use it for 'what should I wear today?' unless you are a fashion model at a major show!

뜻

To be troubled or concerned about a problem, often to the point of distress.

🎯

Use with 'ni'

Always remember the particle 'ni' for the cause. It's the most natural way to link the problem to the phrase.

⚠️

Not for small things

Don't use it for 'what should I wear today?' unless you are a fashion model at a major show!

셀프 테스트

Fill in the missing particle and verb form.

{新|あたら}しい{仕事|しごと}（　）{頭|あたま}を（　　　　）。

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: a

The particle 'ni' marks the cause, and '{悩|なや}ます' is the correct transitive verb.

Which situation is appropriate for '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます'?

Choose the best context:

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: b

Choosing a university is a complex life problem that requires deep thought.

Complete the dialogue.

A: {引|ひ}っ{越|こ}しの{荷物|にもつ}、どうやって{運|はこ}ぶ？ B: うーん、トラックが{高|たか}くて（　　　　　）。

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: a

B is struggling with a logistical problem (moving costs).

🎉 점수: /3

시각 학습 자료

자주 묻는 질문

3 질문

Yes, it's very professional. It shows you are taking a work problem seriously.

No, '{悩|なや}む' is intransitive. You can say '{問題|もんだい}に{悩|なや}む', but not '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}む'.

They are almost identical in this idiom. '{悩|なや}ませる' is slightly more common in modern spoken Japanese.

관련 표현

🔗

{頭|あたま}を{抱|かか}える

similar

To hold one's head in one's hands

🔗

{知恵|ちえ}を{絞|しぼ}る

builds on

To wring out one's wisdom

🔗

{頭|あたま}が{痛|いた}い

similar

To have a headache

🔗

{試行錯誤|しこうさくご}

specialized form

Trial and error

어디서 쓸까?

💼

At the office

Boss: このバグ、まだ{直|なお}らないのか？

Staff: はい、{原因|げんいん}がわからなくて、みんなで{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ませています。

formal
🎁

Choosing a gift

Friend A: {母|はは}の{日|ひ}のプレゼント、もう{決|き}めた？

Friend B: うーん、{毎年|まいとし}{同|おな}じになっちゃうから、{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ませているんだ。

neutral
👶

Parenting

Parent A: {最近|さいきん}、うちの子が{野菜|やさい}を{食|た}べなくて。

Parent B: それは{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます{問題|もんだい}ですね。

neutral
💻

Coding/Programming

Dev 1: このコード、なんで動かないんだろう？

Dev 2: 僕もさっきからそれで{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ましてるよ。

informal
🎤

Job Interview

Interviewer: {困難|こんなん}な{状況|じょうきょう}に{直面|ちょくめん}したことはありますか？

Candidate: はい、{以前|いぜん}の{職場|しょくば}で{予算不足|よさんぶそく}に{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ませたことがありますが、工夫して解決しました。

formal
❤️

Dating/Relationships

Person A: {彼|かれ}へのメッセージ、なんて{送|おく}ればいいかな？

Person B: そんなに{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}まさなくても、{普通|ふつう}でいいんじゃない？

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of your brain as a puzzle piece that just won't fit, making your 'Atama' (head) feel the 'Nayamu' (worry).

Visual Association

Imagine a cartoon character with steam coming out of their ears while looking at a giant, tangled knot of string. Their hands are on their temples.

Rhyme

Atama o nayamasu, solve the puzzle, don't pass us!

Story

Once there was a chef who had to cook for 100 people with only one egg. He sat at his table, holding his head, and thought for three days. He was '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ませて' until he finally decided to make a giant pot of soup with the egg whisked in!

Word Web

{頭|あたま} (Head){悩|なや}む (To worry){解決|かいけつ} (Solution){問題|もんだい} (Problem){考|かんが}える (To think){苦労|くろう} (Hardship){知恵|ちえ} (Wisdom)

챌린지

Try to write down one thing that is 'troubling your head' today using the phrase in a Japanese sentence.

In Other Languages

English high

To rack one's brains

English uses 'brains' (plural), Japanese uses 'head' (singular).

Spanish high

Quebrarse la cabeza

Spanish is reflexive ('breaking oneself the head'), Japanese is transitive.

French high

Se casser la tête

French can also mean 'to be a bother' to someone else.

German high

Sich den Kopf zerbrechen

German requires the reflexive 'sich'.

Arabic moderate

يشغل باله

Less focus on the physical 'head' and more on the 'state of mind'.

Chinese high

伤脑筋 (shāng nǎojīn)

Chinese can be used as an adjective (e.g., 'This is very brain-hurting').

Korean high

골머리를 앓다 (golmeorireul alta)

The verb 'alta' strongly implies a lingering illness or pain.

Portuguese high

Quebrar a cabeça

Commonly used for puzzles and math problems.

Easily Confused

頭を悩ます 대 {頭|あたま}を{痛|いた}める

Sounds very similar to '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}ます'.

Use '{悩|なや}ます' for puzzles/problems, and '{痛|いた}める' for things that cause you emotional grief or financial pain.

자주 묻는 질문 (3)

Yes, it's very professional. It shows you are taking a work problem seriously.

No, '{悩|なや}む' is intransitive. You can say '{問題|もんだい}に{悩|なや}む', but not '{頭|あたま}を{悩|なや}む'.

They are almost identical in this idiom. '{悩|なや}ませる' is slightly more common in modern spoken Japanese.

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