心不在焉 Absent-minded
Explanation
指思想不集中，注意力不集中。
Refers to lack of concentration and inattention.
Origin Story
老张是一位经验丰富的木匠，他正在制作一件精美的木雕。他全神贯注，小心翼翼地雕琢着每一个细节，力求完美。然而，他的孙子小明却在一旁嬉戏打闹，一会儿跑来跑去，一会儿又发出各种奇怪的声音，这让老张不得不时不时地分心。小明并不知道爷爷正在创作，他只是沉浸在自己的世界里，心不在焉地玩耍着。最终，老张不得不暂停工作，耐心地引导小明安静下来。当小明安静下来后，老张又重新投入到他的作品中，继续他精雕细琢的工作。这件作品最终也顺利完成，而小明也渐渐了解到专注的重要性。
Old Zhang, an experienced carpenter, was creating an exquisite wood carving. He was completely focused, carefully carving every detail to achieve perfection. However, his grandson, Xiao Ming, was playing around nearby, running back and forth and making strange noises, causing Zhang to lose focus from time to time. Xiao Ming didn't know his grandfather was working; he was simply immersed in his own world, playing absentmindedly. Eventually, Zhang had to stop working and patiently guide Xiao Ming to calm down. After Xiao Ming calmed down, Zhang resumed his work, and he finished the artwork successfully. Xiao Ming gradually understood the importance of concentration.
Usage
用于形容一个人思想不集中，注意力不分散。
Used to describe someone who is unfocused and easily distracted.
Examples
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他上课心不在焉，老师讲的内容几乎没听进去。
tā shàngkè xīnbùzàiyān, lǎoshī jiǎng de nèiróng jīhū méi tīng jìnqù.
He was absent-minded in class and hardly understood anything the teacher said.
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会议期间，他心不在焉地玩着手机。
huìyí qījiān, tā xīnbùzàiyān de wánzhe shǒujī
During the meeting, he absentmindedly played with his mobile phone.