心不在焉

absent-minded. Learn the modern situation first; the old story is useful only after the idiom has a job.

absent-minded

Situation first

absent-minded

A chengyu is a compressed judgment about a situation. Random idiom sprinkling is how learners sound like a proverb calendar.

01 Name the situation Read the English meaning first. Know what kind of moment this idiom labels.

02 Hear four characters Play the chengyu and say it as one compact expression, not four isolated words.

03 Recall the use Log it, then use the chengyu quiz to match it to a modern situation.

Reading supports

Use these after the first listen. Pinyin is scaffolding; English is context; neither should become a sofa.

Literal meaning

absent-minded

This page focuses on the modern use of 心不在焉, not just the old story.

Use 心不在焉 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: absent-minded.

。 This example can be described with 心不在焉.