Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Distracted, absent-minded: Describes a state where one's attention or thoughts are scattered, not focused on the present task or conversation. It implies a temporary or habitual lack of concentration.
   • Inattentive, preoccupied: Refers to being mentally elsewhere, often lost in one's own thoughts, leading to forgetfulness or not noticing things.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Gần đây anh ấy rất lảng trí, hay quên đồ đạc. (Lately, he has been very absent-minded, often forgetting his belongings.)
  • Cô ấy trả lời một cách lảng trí vì đầu óc đang nghĩ về chuyện khác. (She answered in a distracted manner because her mind was on something else.)
  • Đừng có lảng trí khi đang lái xe. (Don't be inattentive while driving.)

Advanced Usage

• "trở nên lảng trí": to become distracted/absent-minded.
  • Càng về già, ông ấy càng trở nên lảng trí. (As he gets older, he becomes more absent-minded.)
• "vẻ mặt lảng trí": a distracted/preoccupied expression.
  • Nhìn vẻ mặt lảng trí của cậu ấy, tôi biết là cậu ấy không nghe tôi nói gì. (Looking at his distracted expression, I knew he wasn't listening to a word I said.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đãng trí (adj): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with to mean forgetful or absent-minded.
• Lơ đãng (adj): Inattentive, not paying attention. It emphasizes a lack of focus rather than forgetfulness.
• Mất tập trung (verb phrase): to lose concentration.

Synonyms

• Distrait (adj, from French, used in literary or formal Vietnamese): Distracted, absent-minded.
• Thất thần (adj): Dazed, stunned; can imply distraction due to shock or strong emotion.

Related Idioms

• "Đầu óc trên mây": Literally "head in the clouds"; means to be daydreaming or not paying attention to reality, similar to being .
  • Cậu ta lúc nào cũng đầu óc trên mây, chẳng chú ý gì đến xung quanh. (He's always with his head in the clouds, not noticing anything around him.)