xīn bù zài yāndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
absent-minded / preoccupied / inattentive / with one's thoughts wandering
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-09d4cd16e5b07904. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

心不在焉 心不在焉 [xin1 bu4 zai4 yan1] /absent-minded/preoccupied/inattentive/with one's thoughts wandering/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.