The Chinese refers to a computer in Mandarin as "electrical brain" when a computer is nothing like a brain and every brain consists of synapse impulses. Does this expose the inadequacy of Chinese characters in inventing modern scientific terminology?

 The term  is commonly used in Mandarin to refer to a computer. While it can be translated literally as electric brain ( for electric, and  for brain) it's important to note that languages often evolve and adapt to new concepts. The use of "electric brain" reflects an attempt to convey the idea of a machine that processes information using electricity.

It's not necessarily a limitation of Chinese characters, but rather an interesting aspect of language evolution and the challenge of expressing new concepts. Many languages, including English, often use metaphors or analogies to describe new technologies or concepts. For example, in English, the term "computer" itself is a metaphor, as it originally referred to a person who performs calculations.

While Chinese characters can sometimes be more pictorial and rooted in traditional concepts, the language has adapted to incorporate new scientific and technological terms. Modern Chinese often uses transliterations or combinations of characters to create terms for new inventions or concepts. For instance, the term "computer virus" is translated as  where  means virus.

In summary, the use of "electric brain" in Mandarin for a computer is more of an example of how languages evolve and adapt to new ideas rather than a limitation of Chinese characters themselves. Language is dynamic, and speakers continually find ways to express new concepts, even if it involves creative or metaphorical usage.