分心
The English phrase 'distracted' is translated into Cantonese as 分心.
The adjective 分心 is used to describe someone who is having their attention diverted or is preoccupied.
Meaning: having one's attention diverted, preoccupied (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, it means 'to split one's mind/attention'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that the distraction has already occurred, you can add the aspect marker 咗 (zo2) after the verb 分 (fan1) to use the form 分咗心.
Did you know?
- A very common way to describe someone who is constantly distracted or easily lose focus is to say they are 心猿意馬 (sam1 jyun4 ji3 maa5), which translates to 'monkey mind and horse intention'.
- In some contexts, using 分心 can be a polite way to apologize for a mistake, suggesting that one's 'heart was split' rather than admitting to incompetence.
- While 分心 means to be distracted, the same verb 分 is used to describe the act of 'splitting' a bill among friends, known as 分單. Both use the same logic of dividing a whole into parts.
Examples in context
- 佢係分心嘅He is distracted
- 我好心煩意亂I am very distracted
- 今日我好分心，冇辦法專心讀書。I am very distracted today and unable to focus on studying.
- 佢好容易分心。He/she gets distracted easily.
- 佢因為玩電話而分心。keoi5 jan1 waa6 din6 faa3 ji4 fan1 sam1.He is distracted by playing with his phone.
- 上堂唔好分心。soeng5 tong4 m4 hou2 fan1 sam1.Don't get distracted during class.
- 我聽日要專心啲，唔好分心。ngo5 ting1 jat6 jiu3 zyun1 sam1 di1, m4 hou2 fan1 sam1.I need to concentrate tomorrow and not get distracted.
