1.
to think flexibly; to keep an open mind; to loosen up one's thinking
To make one's thinking more flexible and open to new ideas, rather than being rigid or stuck in fixed patterns. Often used as encouragement to approach problems creatively.
頭を柔らかくして考えよう。
Let's think about it with an open mind.
このクイズは頭を柔らかくしないと解けない。
You can't solve this quiz without thinking flexibly.
年を取ると頭が固くなりがちだから、意識的に頭を柔らかくする努力が必要だ。
As we age, our thinking tends to become rigid, so we need to make a conscious effort to stay mentally flexible.
A metaphorical expression where 頭 (head) represents thinking style and 柔らかい (soft, flexible) represents openness and adaptability. The opposite expression is 頭が固い (to be rigid in one's thinking; to be stubborn).
Commonly used in educational and creative contexts — puzzle books and brain teasers in Japan often use the phrase 頭を柔らかくする as part of their marketing.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 頭を柔らかくして〜する: to do ~ with flexible thinking
- 頭が柔らかい: to be a flexible thinker
- 頭が固い: to be rigid/stubborn in thinking (opposite)
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 柔軟に考える: to think flexibly — a more formal equivalent
- 発想を変える: to change one's way of thinking — focuses on shifting perspective
- 視野を広げる: to broaden one's horizons — emphasizes expanding scope rather than flexibility