粗心大意

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: cū xīn dà yi
• English Translation: Careless and negligent (sloppy)
• Idiom Composition: 「粗」（Rough or coarse; lacking refinement or detail.）＋「心」（Heart or mind; referring to one's focus or attention.）＋「大」（Big or broad; here meaning general or lacking precision.）＋「意」（Intent or thought; referring to one's mental state.）
• Meaning: To be careless, thoughtless, or negligent when performing a task, often leading to mistakes due to a lack of attention to detail.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「粗心大意」 contains the following nuances:

• Lack of Attention: It refers to 'careless mistakes' or 'oversights' that occur not because of a lack of ability, but because one's focus is not fully engaged.
• Trait vs. State: It can describe a person's general character (e.g., 'He is a careless person') or a temporary lapse in attention (e.g., 'I was careless this time').

3. Usage

「粗心大意」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Reflecting on or excusing a mistake: Commonly used when admitting one's own error or pointing out someone else's. It is suitable for situations where there was no bad intention, but a failure occurred due to lack of focus.
  • Example:「这次考试没考好，主要是因为我太粗心大意了，看错了题目。」
    （The reason I did poorly on this exam was mainly because I was too careless and misread the questions.）
• Issuing a warning: Used in contexts where one is warned to 'not let their guard down' or 'pay attention to every detail' before starting an important task.
  • Example:「处理这些数据必须非常严谨，千万不能粗心大意。」
    （Processing this data requires extreme precision; you must not be negligent at all.）
• Describing personality: Used to describe the character of someone who doesn't care about details or frequently loses or forgets things.
  • Example:「他这个人平时粗心大意的，经常出门忘带钥匙。」
    （He is usually quite careless, often leaving the house without his keys.）

Additional Examples:

1. 由于司机的粗心大意，导致了这场交通事故。
   （The driver's carelessness led to this traffic accident.）
2. 哪怕是一个小小的粗心大意，也可能造成巨大的损失。
   （Even a tiny bit of negligence can result in enormous losses.）
3. 我不喜欢他那种粗心大意的工作态度。
   （I don't like his sloppy attitude toward work.）
4. 下次请务必仔细检查，不要再粗心大意了。
   （Please be sure to check carefully next time and don't be so careless again.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Common in Education: In Chinese schools and households, this is one of the most frequent reprimands used by parents and teachers when a child makes a 'careless mistake.' Since 粗心 (cū xīn) is viewed as a matter of attitude rather than ability, it is often strictly corrected.
• The Value of Meticulousness: Its opposite, 细心 (xì xīn), is highly praised. In Chinese culture, being meticulous and attentive to detail is considered a vital part of one's character and social conduct, often referred to as 做人 (zuò rén).
• Comparison with Similar Terms: While similar to 马马虎虎 (mǎ ma hū hū), which means 'so-so' or 'casual,' 粗心大意 (cū xīn dà yi) focuses specifically on the lack of attention that results in an error.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 马马虎虎 (mǎ ma hū hū): Careless, casual, or just 'so-so'.
  • 丢三落四 (diū sān là sì): Forgetful or scatterbrained; literally 'dropping three and leaving four'.link
  • 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā): To look at flowers while riding a horse, meaning to take a quick, superficial look at things.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 一丝不苟 (yī sī bù gǒu): Meticulous; not even a single thread is neglected.
  • 小心翼翼 (xiǎo xīn yì yì): Extremely cautious and prudent.link
  • 兢兢业业 (jīng jīng yè yè): To be cautious and conscientious in one's work.link

6. Summary

The idiom 粗心大意 (cū xīn dà yi) describes a state of mind or a personality trait characterized by a lack of focus and oversight. It is frequently used to explain 'careless mistakes' in exams or work-related errors. While it doesn't imply malice, it serves as a warning against the 'inattentiveness' that leads to failure.