cūxīn: 粗心 - Careless, Negligent, Thoughtless

• Keywords: 粗心, cuxin, careless in Chinese, how to say thoughtless in Chinese, Chinese word for negligent, 粗心 meaning, 粗心 example sentence, cūxīn, Chinese adjective for making mistakes, HSK 3 vocabulary, 细心 vs 粗心.
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 粗心 (cūxīn), a common Chinese adjective used to describe someone as careless, negligent, or thoughtless. This comprehensive guide explores what it means to be careless in Chinese, explaining its cultural importance and showing you how to avoid common mistakes. With over 10 practical example sentences, you'll master this essential HSK 3 vocabulary word for everyday conversation and understand why being 粗心 is more than just a simple error.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cūxīn
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: Lacking attention to detail; careless or thoughtless in action.
• In a Nutshell: `粗心` describes the trait of being inattentive, negligent, or prone to making mistakes due to a lack of focus. It's not about being unintelligent, but rather about failing to apply sufficient mental effort to a task. If you forget your keys, make simple typos in a report, or add salt instead of sugar, you are being `粗心`. It is the direct opposite of being meticulous and careful.

• 粗 (cū): This character means “coarse,” “rough,” or “crude.” Think of unpolished rice (it contains the character for rice, `米 mǐ`) or rough, unfinished fabric. It implies a lack of refinement.
• 心 (xīn): This is one of the most fundamental characters, meaning “heart” or “mind.” In Chinese philosophy, the heart is the seat of both emotion and thought.
• The Combination: Together, `粗心 (cūxīn)` literally translates to a “coarse heart/mind.” This paints a powerful image of a mind that is not fine-tuned, one that overlooks details and operates on a rough, imprecise level. It perfectly captures the essence of carelessness as a lack of mental sharpness and detail.

In Chinese culture, particularly in academic and professional settings, there is an immense value placed on diligence, precision, and conscientiousness (`认真 rènzhēn` and `细心 xìxīn`). Consequently, being `粗心` is viewed as a significant character flaw, not just an isolated mistake. To be called `粗心` by a teacher, parent, or boss is a serious criticism. It implies that you not only made an error, but that you lacked the proper attitude, respect, or responsibility towards the task. While an American might say, “It was a careless mistake, no big deal,” the implication of `粗心` often carries more weight, suggesting a fundamental lack of focus that needs to be corrected. Making a `粗心` error can lead to a “loss of face” (`丢面子 diū miànzi`), as it reflects poorly on one's personal discipline. This contrasts with the Western tendency to sometimes excuse carelessness as a simple “oops” moment. In China, especially where collective outcomes are prioritized, an individual's `粗心` can negatively impact the whole group, making it a more serious social transgression.

`粗心` is an extremely common word used in virtually all aspects of modern life.

• In School and Education: Parents and teachers frequently use this word to scold children for making avoidable errors on homework or exams, such as calculation mistakes or miswritten characters. Example: “你就是太粗心了，不然可以考一百分。” (You're just too careless, otherwise you could have scored 100.)
• In the Workplace: A manager might critique a subordinate's report for being full of typos by saying it was done in a `粗心` manner. It's a direct and strong criticism of the quality of work.
• In Daily Life: People use it to describe themselves or others for everyday blunders like forgetting appointments, losing items, or breaking things due to inattention.
• Connotation: It is almost always negative and used as a form of criticism or self-criticism. It is not a neutral observation.

• Example 1:
  • 我太粗心了，竟然忘了带钱包。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ tài cūxīn le, jìngrán wàng le dài qiánbāo.
  • English: I was so careless, I can't believe I forgot to bring my wallet.
  • Analysis: A classic example of self-criticism. `竟然 (jìngrán)` adds a tone of surprise or disbelief at one's own carelessness.
• Example 2:
  • 做作业的时候，你不能这么粗心。
  • Pinyin: Zuò zuòyè de shíhou, nǐ bù néng zhème cūxīn.
  • English: You can't be so careless when you do your homework.
  • Analysis: A common sentence from a parent or teacher to a child. It's a direct command or piece of advice.
• Example 3:
  • 这份报告里有很多小错误，你下次别那么粗心了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào lǐ yǒu hěn duō xiǎo cuòwù, nǐ xià cì bié nàme cūxīn le.
  • English: This report has a lot of small mistakes, don't be so careless next time.
  • Analysis: This is typical feedback in a professional setting. It's a direct but common way to critique work.
• Example 4:
  • 他是个粗心的人，经常丢三落四。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì ge cūxīn de rén, jīngcháng diū sān là sì.
  • English: He is a careless person, always forgetting things.
  • Analysis: Here, `粗心` is used to describe a person's general personality trait, linked with the idiom `丢三落四 (diū sān là sì)`, which means “scatterbrained” or “forgetful.”
• Example 5:
  • 因为一时的粗心，他错过了重要的航班。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi yīshí de cūxīn, tā cuòguò le zhòngyào de hángbān.
  • English: Because of a moment of carelessness, he missed his important flight.
  • Analysis: This sentence structure, `因为…的粗心`, is useful for explaining the negative consequence of a careless act.
• Example 6:
  • 粗心是成功最大的敌人。
  • Pinyin: Cūxīn shì chénggōng zuì dà de dírén.
  • English: Carelessness is the biggest enemy of success.
  • Analysis: A more abstract or philosophical use of the word, treating `粗心` as a concept.
• Example 7:
  • 医生不能粗心，因为人命关天。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng bù néng cūxīn, yīnwèi rénmìng guāntiān.
  • English: Doctors cannot be careless, because human lives are at stake.
  • Analysis: This highlights a situation where carelessness has extremely serious consequences. `人命关天 (rénmìng guāntiān)` is an idiom meaning “a matter of life and death.”
• Example 8:
  • 对不起，是我粗心大意，把日期搞错了。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, shì wǒ cūxīn dàyì, bǎ rìqī gǎo cuò le.
  • English: I'm sorry, it was my negligence, I got the date wrong.
  • Analysis: `粗心大意 (cūxīn dàyì)` is a four-character phrase that functions like an idiom, meaning “negligent” or “inadvertent.” It's a common way to apologize for a mistake.
• Example 9:
  • 你再检查一遍，免得有粗心的错误。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zài jiǎnchá yī biàn, miǎnde yǒu cūxīn de cuòwù.
  • English: Check it one more time to avoid any careless mistakes.
  • Analysis: `粗心的错误` (cūxīn de cuòwù) means “a careless mistake.” This is a very useful and common phrase.
• Example 10:
  • 我总是提醒自己要细心，不要粗心。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zǒngshì tíxǐng zìjǐ yào xìxīn, bùyào cūxīn.
  • English: I always remind myself to be meticulous and not be careless.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts `粗心` with its antonym, `细心 (xìxīn)`, which is a great way for learners to remember both.

• `粗心` is not “Stupid”: A very common mistake for learners is to equate `粗心` with being stupid or incapable. This is incorrect. `粗心` implies the ability to do something correctly was present, but the necessary focus was absent. A brilliant professor can make a `粗心` calculation error. The criticism is on the process (lack of care), not the person (lack of intelligence).
• `粗心` vs. `马虎 (mǎhu)`: These two terms are very close synonyms and often interchangeable. However, there's a slight difference.
  • `粗心 (cūxīn)` points more to a mental state of inattention to detail. It's the “coarse mind.”
  • `马虎 (mǎhu)` can describe this too, but often carries a stronger sense of being sloppy, perfunctory, or doing something in a haphazard “that's good enough” manner. If you do a messy job painting a wall, `马虎` might be a better fit. If you forget to add a key ingredient while cooking, `粗心` is perfect. In many cases, though, they can be used for the same situation.
• Intentional vs. Unintentional: `粗心` always refers to an unintentional error or oversight. You cannot be `粗心` on purpose. If an act of neglect is deliberate, you would use different words like `故意 (gùyì)` for “intentionally.”

• `细心 (xìxīn)` - The direct antonym of `粗心`. It means “meticulous,” “careful,” “detail-oriented.”
• `马虎 (mǎhu)` - A very close synonym for `粗心`, meaning “careless” or “sloppy.” See the nuance section above.
• `大意 (dàyì)` - A close synonym meaning “negligent” or “inattentive.” It literally means “big idea,” implying someone who only focuses on the general picture and misses the details. `粗心大意` is a common set phrase.
• `小心 (xiǎoxīn)` - Means “to be careful” or “to watch out.” It's typically used as a verb or command (e.g., “小心！” - “Watch out!”), whereas `粗心` is an adjective describing a trait or action.
• `仔细 (zǐxì)` - A synonym for `细心` and an antonym for `粗心`. It means “attentive to detail,” “thorough.”
• `认真 (rènzhēn)` - Means “serious,” “conscientious,” “earnest.” A person who is `认真` about their work is the opposite of a `粗心` person.
• `丢三落四 (diū sān là sì)` - A popular chengyu (idiom) that describes the behavior of a `粗心` person. It literally means “to lose three and forget four,” meaning “scatterbrained” or “forgetful.”
• `疏忽 (shūhu)` - A more formal word for “negligence” or an “oversight.” You would see this in a formal report or legal document, while `粗心` is more common in everyday speech.