粗心大意

• Pinyin: cū xīn dà yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 粗 = coarse; 心 = heart; 大 = big; 意 = meaning/intention

Meaning

Careless; sloppy; negligent. An idiom describing someone who lacks attention to detail and makes avoidable mistakes.

A common criticism for avoidable errors due to inattention. Often used in school and work contexts. The idiom combines 粗心 (careless) with 大意 (negligent), doubling the emphasis on lack of care.

Examples

1. 他考试时粗心大意，把好几道简单的题目都做错了。 He was careless during the exam and got several easy questions wrong.
2. 粗心大意是职场大忌，一个小错误可能导致严重后果。 Being sloppy is a major taboo in the workplace — one small error can lead to serious consequences.
3. 检查文件时不能粗心大意，一个数字错了可能造成很大损失。 You can't be negligent when checking documents — one wrong number could cause huge losses.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, advice, self-reflection

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 你太粗心大意了！(You're too careless!)
• 做事不能粗心大意。(You can't be careless when doing things.)

Don't Say

• 他粗心大意地仔细检查 (Contradictory — 粗心大意 and 仔细 are opposites)

Origin & History

Four-character idiom combining 粗心 (careless, lit. 'rough heart') + 大意 (negligent, lit. 'big meaning/intention'). Together emphasizing carelessness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal