粗心大意

cūxīn-dàyì
idiom HSK 7-9 #23,661

Meanings

  1. 1 careless
  2. 2 negligent
  3. 3 sloppy

Characters

Literally 'rough heart, broad attention' - too careless to notice details

Examples

HSK 1
Kǎoshì de shíhou bùnéng cūxīn-dàyì.
You can't be careless during exams.
HSK 3
Tā zuòshì zǒngshì cūxīn-dàyì, jīngcháng chūcuò.
He's always careless in his work and often makes mistakes.

Tips

usage
粗心大意 is a four-character idiom (成语) that can be shortened to just 粗心 in casual speech. The full form is more emphatic and often used in criticism or self-reflection.
memory
Picture someone with a 'rough heart and big careless thoughts' - their mind is too broad to catch the small details.

Stroke Order

xīn