粗心

It usually functions as an adjective. You can say someone 'is' 粗心 or does things in a 粗心 way. You’ll often see it paired with 大意 (dàyì) to mean 'negligent.' If you want to emphasize it, add 很 (hěn) or 太 (tài). For example, 你太粗心了！ means 'You are too careless!' It’s very common in school and work settings.

Use it when you forget your umbrella on the bus. Use it when you miss a zero on a math test. It’s perfect for those 'oops' moments in daily life. It’s also a safe way to apologize for a minor oversight. If you forget to reply to a text, just say you were 粗心. It sounds softer than saying you forgot.

Don’t use 粗心 for serious moral failings or big crimes. If someone crashes a car while drunk, 粗心 is way too light. It’s for 'small' mistakes, not 'big' disasters. Also, avoid using it to describe a physical object. It describes a person's character or their specific actions. You wouldn't call a broken chair 粗心.

In Chinese culture, being 细心 (xìxīn - thin/fine heart) is a huge virtue. It shows respect for the task and the people involved. Therefore, calling someone 粗心 is a common way parents and teachers nudge kids to improve. It’s a very 'teachable moment' word. It has been used for centuries to balance the idea of precision versus haste.

粗心大意 (cūxīn dàyì) is the four-character version (chengyu). It sounds a bit more serious and formal. You might also hear 马虎 (mǎhu), which is more colloquial. 马虎 implies being lazy or sloppy, while 粗心 is more about the lack of focus. If you are really messy, people might call you a 马大哈 (mǎdàhā).