出神

chūshén
verb #37,566

Meanings

  1. 1 to be entranced
  2. 2 to be lost in thought
  3. 3 to be spellbound
  4. 4 to stare blankly

Examples

Tā wàngzhe chuāng wài chūshén.
She gazed out the window, lost in thought.
Háizi tīng gùshi tīng de chūshén.
The child was spellbound listening to the story.

Tips

memory
Literally 'spirit goes out' — your (spirit/consciousness) leaves you, so you stare blankly or are completely absorbed. The same image extends to 出神入化 (chūshén-rùhuà), 'reaching the level of divine artistry.'
grammar
Often used with or in the V--出神 pattern: 看得出 / 得出 ('watching/listening so intently as to be lost in it').

Stroke Order

chū
shén