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A2 adverb 11 min read

粗心地

cūxīn de

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 粗心地 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 粗心地 in your Level:

At the A1 level, students learn that '粗心地' (cū xīn de) means doing something in a 'not careful' way. It is often taught alongside simple verbs like 'write' (写), 'do' (做), or 'look' (看). Beginners should focus on the fact that this word explains why a mistake happened. For example, if you write a Chinese character wrong because you missed a stroke, you did it '粗心地'. It is a helpful word to use when apologizing to a teacher or a friend for a small mistake. At this level, don't worry about complex grammar; just remember the pattern: [Person] + 粗心地 + [Action]. This helps you explain simple errors in your daily life, like taking the wrong bus or forgetting your pen.

For A2 learners, '粗心地' becomes a key vocabulary item for describing daily routines and school life. You should be able to use it to describe common errors in math homework, chores, or following directions. At this level, you start to distinguish between the adjective '粗心' (careless) and the adverb '粗心地' (carelessly). You should practice using it with resultative complements, such as '粗心地看错' (carelessly misread) or '粗心地做错' (carelessly did wrong). This level also introduces the contrast with '细心地' (carefully), allowing you to describe both good and bad habits. You will often hear this from teachers during feedback sessions.

At the B1 level, '粗心地' is used in more diverse social and workplace contexts. You will use it to describe professional oversights, such as sending an email to the wrong person or forgetting an attachment. You should also be familiar with how '粗心地' interacts with degree adverbs like '太' (too) or '真' (really). For example, '你真粗心地把钥匙锁在屋里了' (You really carelessly locked the keys in the house). At this stage, you should also begin to recognize synonyms like '大意' and understand that '粗心地' is specifically about a lack of attention to detail rather than a lack of skill or knowledge. It’s a common word in narrating past experiences or telling stories about mistakes.

B2 students should understand the nuance of '粗心地' in formal writing and more complex sentence structures. This includes using it in 'if' clauses or conditional sentences, such as '如果员工粗心地操作机器，后果将不堪设想' (If an employee operates the machine carelessly, the consequences will be unimaginable). You should also be able to compare it with more formal terms like '疏忽' (negligence). At this level, you might encounter '粗心地' in literature to describe a character's personality trait manifesting through their actions. You should be comfortable using it to analyze cause-and-effect relationships in reports or essays about human error.

At the C1 level, '粗心地' is viewed within a broader lexical field of precision and negligence. You should be able to use it to discuss abstract concepts, such as '粗心地对待历史' (treating history carelessly) or '粗心地处理人际关系' (handling interpersonal relationships carelessly). You will recognize how it can be used rhetorically to criticize a lack of thoroughness in academic research or policy-making. At this advanced stage, you should also be aware of how the word's components (coarse + heart) relate to traditional Chinese values regarding 'mindfulness' and 'cultivation'. You can use it to provide sophisticated critiques of work or behavior, choosing it over synonyms to specifically highlight a failure in detailed observation.

For C2 learners, '粗心地' is a tool for precise stylistic expression. You might use it in literary analysis to discuss how a narrator's '粗心地' (careless) description of a scene reveals their own biases or state of mind. You should understand its use in legal and philosophical debates where the distinction between 'intentionality' and 'negligence' (粗心) is crucial. At this level, you have a mastery of all its synonyms (草率, 疏忽, 漫不经心) and can choose '粗心地' to evoke a specific sense of 'human fallibility due to lack of focus'. You can also use it in high-level translations, ensuring that the nuance of 'coarseness of mind' is preserved when translating from or into Chinese.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

粗心地 in 30 Seconds

Used to describe actions done without enough attention or focus on details.
Formed by adding the adverbial particle '地' to the adjective '粗心' (careless).
Always placed before the verb it modifies in a Chinese sentence structure.
Commonly used for academic errors, household mishaps, and professional oversights.

The Chinese adverb 粗心地 (cū xīn de) is a fundamental term used to describe actions performed without sufficient attention, care, or precision. To understand its essence, we must look at its components: 粗 (cū) means coarse, rough, or thick, while 心 (xīn) refers to the heart or mind. In Chinese culture, the 'heart' is often seen as the seat of intellect and focus. Therefore, having a 'coarse heart' implies that one's thoughts are not fine-tuned or detailed. The final character, 地 (de), serves as the structural particle that transforms the adjective 'careless' into the adverb 'carelessly'. You will encounter this word frequently in academic settings, daily chores, and professional environments where mistakes occur due to a lack of diligence rather than a lack of ability.

Literal Meaning: Coarse-mindedly; acting with a heart that lacks fineness or detail.
Emotional Nuance: It often carries a tone of mild to moderate criticism or self-reproach, suggesting that the error was avoidable if the person had simply paid more attention.

他在考试中粗心地写错了答案。(He carelessly wrote the wrong answer during the exam.)

In daily life, this word describes the 'oops' moments—forgetting your keys, misreading a map, or skipping a step in a recipe. It is less about being a bad person and more about a temporary lapse in concentration. For instance, a child might do their homework 粗心地 because they are in a rush to go play. An adult might 粗心地 leave the stove on. The focus is always on the manner of the action. Because it is an adverb, it almost always precedes a verb, acting as a modifier that colors the entire action with a sense of negligence.

别再粗心地丢三落四了。(Stop being so careless and forgetting things all the time.)

Historically, the concept of 'fineness' (细) versus 'coarseness' (粗) is deeply embedded in Chinese craftsmanship and scholarship. A scholar was expected to have a 'fine heart' (细心) to avoid errors in calligraphy or interpretation. To act 粗心地 was seen as a sign of an undisciplined mind. In modern Mandarin, the usage remains consistent. Whether you are talking about a software engineer writing a bug into code or a chef adding too much salt, 粗心地 is the go-to word to explain that the error resulted from a lack of focus.

厨师粗心地把糖当成了盐。(The chef carelessly mistook sugar for salt.)

Common Contexts: Academic exams, household chores, office paperwork, driving, and following instructions.

他粗心地把重要的文件弄丢了。(He carelessly lost the important documents.)

司机粗心地闯了红灯。(The driver carelessly ran a red light.)

Using 粗心地 correctly requires understanding the basic Chinese sentence structure for adverbs. The standard pattern is: Subject + (Adverbial) + Verb + Object. Because 粗心地 is a manner adverb, it always sits right before the verb it modifies. It describes 'how' the action is being performed. It is rarely used at the end of a sentence or as a standalone answer without a verb nearby. For example, you wouldn't just say 'He is 粗心地'; you would say 'He 粗心地 did something.'

The '地' Particle: The character 地 (de) is essential here. Without it, '粗心' is just an adjective. When you add '地', it acts like the '-ly' suffix in English words like 'carelessly'.

妹妹粗心地打碎了花瓶。(Little sister carelessly broke the vase.)

In more complex sentences, 粗心地 can be preceded by degree adverbs like '很' (hěn - very), '非常' (fēicháng - extremely), or '太' (tài - too). For instance, '他非常粗心地完成了报告' (He completed the report extremely carelessly). This allows you to specify the level of negligence involved. It's also common to see it in negative constructions or warnings, such as '不要粗心地对待你的工作' (Don't treat your work carelessly). Here, the adverb modifies the verb 'treat' (对待).

你不能这么粗心地处理客户的投诉。(You cannot handle customer complaints so carelessly.)

Another frequent pattern involves the resultative complement. When someone does something carelessly and the result is an error, we often use the 'Verb + 错' (cuò - wrong) structure. For example: '他粗心地看错了时间' (He carelessly misread the time). In this case, 粗心地 explains the cause (lack of care), while 看错 (misread) explains the specific error. This combination is ubiquitous in school and office environments.

由于他粗心地算错了账，公司损失了很多钱。(Because he carelessly miscalculated the accounts, the company lost a lot of money.)

Negation: To negate the action's manner, you usually negate the verb or use '不' before '粗心'. However, it's more common to use the antonym '细心地' (carefully) to express the positive opposite.

请不要再粗心地犯同样的错误了。(Please don't carelessly make the same mistake again.)

哪怕是一点点粗心地操作，都可能导致严重的后果。(Even a tiny bit of careless operation could lead to serious consequences.)

In the real world, 粗心地 is most commonly heard in environments where accuracy is paramount. One of the primary places is the Chinese classroom. Teachers often use this word to describe students' performance on math tests or writing assignments. If a student knows the formula but gets the answer wrong because of a simple calculation error, the teacher will likely say, '你又粗心地算错了' (You carelessly calculated wrong again). It emphasizes that the mistake wasn't due to stupidity, but rather a lack of focus.

In the Workplace: Managers use this term during performance reviews or when addressing errors in reports. It's a way to point out that a subordinate needs to be more detail-oriented.

老板批评他粗心地漏掉了合同里的一个重要条款。(The boss criticized him for carelessly omitting an important clause in the contract.)

You will also hear this word in the context of parenting. Chinese parents are known for emphasizing academic and behavioral discipline. If a child loses their umbrella or leaves their lunchbox at school, the parent might sigh and say, '你总是这么粗心地丢东西' (You are always so carelessly losing things). In this context, it's often paired with '总是' (always) to indicate a recurring habit of negligence. It's a very common 'scolding' word in domestic life.

妈妈怪我粗心地把新衣服弄脏了。(Mom blamed me for carelessly getting my new clothes dirty.)

In news reports or legal contexts, 粗心地 might be used to describe 'negligence' in a more formal sense, though terms like '疏忽' (shūhū) are more common in high-level legal documents. However, in a news broadcast about a traffic accident, the reporter might say the driver 粗心地 ignored a warning sign. It provides a relatable explanation for the cause of an event to the general public. It's also found in literature and storytelling to characterize a clumsy or scatterbrained protagonist.

那名员工粗心地按错了按钮，导致全公司断网。(That employee carelessly pressed the wrong button, causing a company-wide internet outage.)

Everyday Situations: Misplacing keys, forgetting appointments, making typos in a text message, or tripping over an obvious obstacle.

我刚才粗心地进错了电梯。(I just carelessly entered the wrong elevator.)

他粗心地把盐当成糖放进了咖啡里。(He carelessly put salt instead of sugar into the coffee.)

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make when using 粗心地 is confusing it with its adjective form, 粗心 (cū xīn). In English, 'careless' can be both an adjective ('He is careless') and sometimes used loosely in adverbial contexts. However, in Chinese, the distinction is strict. If you are describing a person's character, you use 粗心. If you are describing the way they did a specific action, you must use 粗心地. Saying '他粗心做作业' is grammatically incomplete and sounds 'foreign' or 'broken'.

Mistake #1: Particle Confusion: Using '的' (de) instead of '地' (de). While they sound the same (both are pronounced 'de' in neutral tone), '的' is for adjectives modifying nouns, while '地' is for adverbs modifying verbs. Writing '粗心的做' is a common orthographic error.

Incorrect: 他粗心的写字。(He careless writes.)
Correct: 他粗心地写字。(He carelessly writes.)

Another mistake is using 粗心地 for accidents that are completely out of one's control. 粗心地 implies that the person could have been careful but chose not to be, or simply lapsed in their attention. If someone trips because the ground was unexpectedly slippery, you wouldn't say they tripped 粗心地. You would use '不小心' (bù xiǎoxīn - accidentally/unintentionally). '不小心' is broader and covers both negligence and pure accidents, whereas 粗心地 specifically targets the lack of mental focus.

Context: A purely random accident.
Incorrect: 我粗心地滑倒了。(I carelessly slipped - implies you weren't looking where you walked.)
Better: 我不小心滑倒了。(I accidentally slipped.)

Placement errors are also common. Learners sometimes place the adverb after the verb, influenced by English patterns like 'He writes carelessly.' In Chinese, the manner adverb must come before the verb. You cannot say '他写字粗心地'. If you want to put the description after the verb, you must use the '得' (de) structural particle and a different construction: '他写字写得很粗心' (He writes [in a manner that is] very careless). Mixing these up is a hallmark of beginner and intermediate learners.

Incorrect: 他切菜粗心地。(He cuts vegetables carelessly.)
Correct: 他粗心地切菜。(He carelessly cuts vegetables.)

Overuse: Don't use '粗心地' for serious professional malpractice or grave ethical failures. In those cases, '渎职' (dúzhí - dereliction of duty) or '疏忽' (shūhū - negligence) are more appropriate and carry the necessary weight.

别粗心地对待你的健康。(Don't treat your health carelessly.)

他粗心地删除了所有的照片。(He carelessly deleted all the photos.)

While 粗心地 is a very versatile word, Chinese offers several synonyms and alternatives that allow for more precise expression depending on the context. Understanding these nuances will help you move from a basic A2 level to a more sophisticated B1 or B2 level of fluency. The most common synonym is 大意地 (dàyì de). While very similar, 大意 specifically refers to being 'careless' due to overconfidence or underestimating a situation. If you lose a game because you thought it would be easy, you were 大意.

粗心地 vs. 大意地: 粗心地 is a general lack of focus on details. 大意地 is carelessness caused by being too relaxed or overconfident about a task.

他因为大意地轻视对手而输了比赛。(He lost the game because he carelessly underestimated his opponent.)

Another colorful alternative is the idiom 马马虎虎地 (mǎmǎhūhū de). Literally 'horse horse tiger tiger', this describes doing something in a perfunctory, 'just okay' manner. It's less about a specific mistake and more about a general lack of thoroughness. If you clean your room 马马虎虎地, it means you just pushed the mess under the bed. 粗心地, on the other hand, would imply you accidentally threw away your homework while cleaning because you weren't paying attention.

他马马虎虎地扫了扫地。(He swept the floor in a perfunctory/careless manner.)

In more formal or literary contexts, you might see 草率地 (cǎoshuài de). This means 'hastily and carelessly'. It emphasizes the speed at which something was done without proper thought. A '草率' decision is one made too quickly. There is also 漫不经心地 (mànbùjīngxīn de), which describes doing something with an air of indifference or being 'absent-minded'. It suggests the person's mind is elsewhere entirely.

他草率地签了合同。(He hastily and carelessly signed the contract.)

Formal Alternatives: 疏忽地 (shūhū de) - Negligently (legal/professional).
随随便便地 (suísuíbiànbiàn de) - Casually/Carelessly (social/behavioral).

她漫不经心地翻着杂志。(She was absent-mindedly flipping through a magazine.)

我们不能随随便便地下结论。(We cannot casually/carelessly jump to conclusions.)

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The antonym '细心' (xìxīn) literally means 'fine heart'. This reflects an ancient Chinese metaphor where a good mind is like finely polished jade or silk, while a careless mind is like rough, unworked material.

Pronunciation Guide

UK tsʰuː ɕín tɤ

US tsʰuː ɕín tɤ

Primary stress is on the first syllable 'cū', secondary on 'xīn'. The 'de' is completely unstressed.

Rhymes With

初心 (chūxīn) 放心 (fàngxīn) 真心 (zhēnxīn) 爱心 (àixīn) 细心 (xìxīn) 耐心 (nàixīn) 决心 (juéxīn) 核心 (héxīn)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'c' like 'k' (it should be 'ts').
Using the wrong tone for 'xin' (must be high and flat).
Over-emphasizing the 'de' particle.
Confusing the 'u' sound with the French 'u' or German 'ü'.
Failing to aspirate the 'c' (it needs a puff of air).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The characters are common, but the distinction between the three 'de' particles can be tricky for readers.

Writing 3/5

Writing '粗' and '心' is easy, but remembering to use '地' instead of '的' is a frequent error.

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward as long as the 'c' sound is mastered.

Listening 2/5

Easy to recognize in context due to its frequent use in school and home settings.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

粗心地 (particle) 写做错

Learn Next

细心地不小心大意马马虎虎

Advanced

疏忽草率漫不经心敷衍了事

Grammar to Know

Adverbial Marker '地'

形容词 + 地 + 动词 (e.g., 粗心地写)

Placement of Adverbs

Adverbs must come before the verb they modify.

Resultative Complements

Verb + 错 (e.g., 算错, 写错) often follows 粗心地.

The 'Ba' Sentence with Adverbs

Subject + 粗心地 + 把 + Object + Verb.

Degree Adverbs modifying Manner Adverbs

很 + 粗心地 + Verb.

Examples by Level

他粗心地写错了字。

He carelessly wrote the character wrong.

Subject + 粗心地 + Verb + Object

我不粗心地看书。

I don't read books carelessly.

Negative '不' before the adverb

妹妹粗心地丢了笔。

Little sister carelessly lost her pen.

Adverb modifying the verb '丢' (lose)

你为什么粗心地做？

Why did you do it carelessly?

Question form using '为什么'

他粗心地吃完了饭。

He finished his meal carelessly (perhaps making a mess).

Adverb modifying the action of eating

别粗心地走。

Don't walk carelessly.

Imperative '别' (don't)

他粗心地关了门。

He carelessly closed the door (maybe too loudly).

Simple past action with '了'

我很粗心地画画。

I draw very carelessly.

Using '很' to modify the adverb

他粗心地把钥匙锁在车里了。

He carelessly locked the keys inside the car.

Ba-sentence structure with adverb

学生们粗心地算错了这道题。

The students carelessly calculated this problem wrong.

Resultative complement '算错'

妈妈粗心地忘了买牛奶。

Mom carelessly forgot to buy milk.

Verb '忘' (forget) modified by adverb

因为他粗心地开车，所以撞到了树。

Because he drove carelessly, he hit a tree.

Cause and effect using '因为...所以...'

你应该细心地写，不要粗心地写。

You should write carefully, don't write carelessly.

Contrast between antonyms

他粗心地把盐当成了糖。

He carelessly mistook salt for sugar.

Structure '把 A 当成 B'

请不要粗心地处理这些文件。

Please do not handle these documents carelessly.

Formal request with '请'

他粗心地弄坏了我的玩具。

He carelessly broke my toy.

Verb '弄坏' (to make broken)

由于他粗心地发错了邮件，客户很不高兴。

Because he carelessly sent the wrong email, the client is very unhappy.

Adverb used in a professional context

我刚才粗心地把你的名字拼错了。

I just carelessly misspelled your name.

Specific error '拼错' (misspell)

他粗心地在合同上签了字，没看条款。

He carelessly signed the contract without looking at the clauses.

Compound sentence describing sequence

我们不能粗心地对待每一项任务。

We cannot treat every task carelessly.

Verb '对待' (treat/handle)

他粗心地把重要的会议时间记错了。

He carelessly remembered the important meeting time wrong.

Resultative complement '记错'

你总是这么粗心地丢三落四吗？

Are you always so carelessly forgetting things?

Idiom '丢三落四' (forgetful)

他粗心地走进了女厕所，非常尴尬。

He carelessly walked into the women's restroom, very embarrassed.

Describing an embarrassing social error

如果粗心地使用这种机器，会很危险。

If you use this machine carelessly, it will be very dangerous.

Conditional '如果' structure

医生粗心地开错了药方，幸好药剂师发现了。

The doctor carelessly wrote the wrong prescription; fortunately, the pharmacist found it.

Complex sentence with a positive turn

由于会计粗心地算错了一笔账，导致报表不平衡。

Because the accountant carelessly miscalculated an entry, the statement didn't balance.

Financial context

这个软件的漏洞是因为工程师粗心地写错了代码。

The bug in this software is because the engineer carelessly wrote the wrong code.

Technical/Professional context

他粗心地忽略了实验中一个小小的变量。

He carelessly ignored a tiny variable in the experiment.

Scientific context

尽管他很有经验，但偶尔也会粗心地犯错。

Although he is very experienced, he still occasionally makes mistakes carelessly.

Concession '尽管...但...'

粗心地对待生命是对自己不负责任的表现。

Treating life carelessly is a sign of being irresponsible to oneself.

Abstract philosophical usage

他在翻译过程中粗心地遗漏了一个关键的动词。

During the translation process, he carelessly omitted a key verb.

Specific linguistic error

不要粗心地认为所有的问题都能迎刃而解。

Don't carelessly assume that all problems will be solved easily.

Mental state '认为' modified by adverb

历史学家指出，当时的将领粗心地低估了敌军的实力。

Historians pointed out that the general at the time carelessly underestimated the enemy's strength.

Historical/Academic context

在学术研究中，粗心地引用文献会导致严重的学术不端指控。

In academic research, carelessly citing literature can lead to serious allegations of academic misconduct.

Formal academic warning

他粗心地挥霍着父母辛苦攒下的积蓄。

He was carelessly squandering the savings his parents had worked hard to accumulate.

Describing behavioral patterns

这种由于粗心地操作而引发的核事故震惊了全世界。

The nuclear accident caused by careless operation shocked the entire world.

Describing large-scale consequences

评论家认为作者粗心地处理了小说结尾的逻辑关系。

Critics believe the author carelessly handled the logical relationships at the end of the novel.

Literary criticism

在外交场合，哪怕是粗心地说错一句话，也可能引发危机。

In diplomatic situations, even carelessly saying one wrong word can trigger a crisis.

Diplomatic/High-stakes context

他粗心地将个人隐私暴露在社交媒体上。

He carelessly exposed his personal privacy on social media.

Modern digital context

我们不应粗心地跳过这些看似无关紧要的细节。

We should not carelessly skip these seemingly insignificant details.

Nuanced observation

这种粗心地解构经典的行为，遭到了传统学界的强烈抵制。

This act of carelessly deconstructing classics met with strong resistance from traditional academic circles.

Philosophical/Literary discourse

他在审理案件时，粗心地采信了伪证，酿成了冤案。

While presiding over the case, he carelessly accepted perjured evidence, resulting in a miscarriage of justice.

Legal/Judicial gravity

艺术家粗心地挥洒笔墨，却意外地创造出了一种浑然天成的意境。

The artist splashed ink carelessly, yet unexpectedly created a natural and harmonious artistic mood.

Artistic paradox

由于设计师粗心地忽略了材料的疲劳强度，桥梁最终坍塌了。

Because the designer carelessly ignored the fatigue strength of the materials, the bridge eventually collapsed.

Engineering/Technical failure

他粗心地将这种致命的病毒样本带出了实验室。

He carelessly took this lethal virus sample out of the laboratory.

Extreme consequences

在处理如此错综复杂的国际纠纷时，任何粗心地决策都是极其危险的。

When dealing with such intricate international disputes, any careless decision-making is extremely dangerous.

Geopolitical analysis

他粗心地嘲弄着他并不理解的古老文明。

He carelessly mocked an ancient civilization that he did not understand.

Cultural sensitivity/Critique

这种粗心地挥霍自然资源的做法，必将给后代带来灾难。

This practice of carelessly squandering natural resources will surely bring disaster to future generations.

Environmental/Ethical discourse

Common Collocations

粗心地算错

粗心地丢了

粗心地忘记

粗心地弄坏

粗心地处理

粗心地写错

粗心地看错

粗心地忽略

粗心地对待

粗心地操作

Common Phrases

粗心地对待工作

— To handle one's job without care. It describes a lazy or negligent attitude.

老板不喜欢粗心地对待工作的员工。

粗心地犯错

— To make a mistake due to lack of focus. This is a very common way to apologize.

对不起，我粗心地犯错了。

粗心地丢三落四

— To be habitually forgetful and careless. It's often used by parents.

你总是粗心地丢三落四，真让人操心。

粗心地看漏了

— To miss something while reading or looking. Common in checking documents.

我刚才粗心地看漏了一行字。

粗心地说错话

— To say something wrong or inappropriate by accident. A slip of the tongue.

他粗心地说错话，惹得大家都不开心。

粗心地走错路

— To take the wrong path due to not paying attention to signs.

我们刚才粗心地走错路了，得往回走。

粗心地记错日子

— To remember the wrong date for an event.

他粗心地记错日子，早来了一天。

粗心地碰倒

— To knock something over by being clumsy or inattentive.

他粗心地碰倒了桌上的咖啡。

粗心地挂断电话

— To accidentally hang up a call.

对不起，我刚才粗心地挂断电话了。

粗心地选错

— To choose the wrong option because of a lack of focus.

他在选择题中粗心地选错了答案。

Often Confused With

粗心地 vs 不小心

Includes pure accidents; 粗心地 is specifically about lack of focus.

粗心地 vs 粗鲁

Means 'rude' or 'rough' in behavior, not 'careless' in tasks.

粗心地 vs 随便

Means 'casual' or 'as one pleases', which can lead to carelessness but isn't the same.

Idioms & Expressions

"粗心大意"

— Very careless and negligent. This is the 4-character idiom form.

工作时绝不能粗心大意。

Neutral

"马马虎虎"

— Careless, perfunctory, or mediocre. Can be used as an adverb with '地'.

他做作业总是马马虎虎的。

Informal

"丢三落四"

— Forgetful; scatterbrained. Always losing things.

你这个丢三落四的毛病得改改。

Informal

"草草了事"

— To get a job done in a hurry without care.

他为了去玩，草草了事地做完了家务。

Neutral

"漫不经心"

— To do something without care because one is indifferent.

他漫不经心地回答了我的问题。

Literary

"疏忽大意"

— Negligent and careless, often leading to serious consequences.

由于疏忽大意，火灾发生了。

Formal

"敷衍了事"

— To do something just for the sake of finishing it, with no heart in it.

你不能这样敷衍了事地对待学习。

Neutral

"粗枝大叶"

— Literal: thick branches and large leaves. Figurative: crude or careless work.

他写文章总是粗枝大叶，有很多错别字。

Neutral

"不拘小节"

— To not bother about trifles. Can be positive (easygoing) or negative (careless).

他性格豪爽，不拘小节。

Positive/Neutral

"掉以轻心"

— To let one's guard down or treat something too lightly.

面对疫情，我们绝不能掉以轻心。

Formal

Easily Confused

粗心地 vs 粗心

It is the adjective form of the same word.

粗心 is an adjective (He is careless). 粗心地 is an adverb (He did it carelessly).

他是个粗心的人。他粗心地做了这件事。

粗心地 vs 大意

Both mean 'careless'.

大意 is carelessness from being too relaxed or overconfident. 粗心 is a general lack of attention to detail.

他因为大意而输了比赛。

粗心地 vs 马虎

Both describe a lack of care.

马虎 is more about being perfunctory or doing a 'sloppy' job. 粗心 is about making mistakes due to inattention.

他做事很马虎。

粗心地 vs 疏忽

Both mean 'negligent'.

疏忽 is more formal and often used for 'oversights' in professional or serious situations.

由于一时的疏忽，他忘了锁门。

粗心地 vs 草率

Both involve a lack of care.

草率 specifically emphasizes that the action was done too quickly and without enough thought.

他草率地结了婚。

Sentence Patterns

S + 粗心地 + V

他粗心地写。

S + 粗心地 + V + 错 + O

我粗心地算错了这道题。

S + 总是 + 这么 + 粗心地 + V

你总是这么粗心地丢东西。

S + 粗心地 + 把 + O + V + 了

他粗心地把杯子打破了。

由于 + S + 粗心地 + V, 结果...

由于他粗心地发错邮件，结果丢了客户。

千万不要 + 粗心地 + V

千万不要粗心地对待你的健康。

哪怕是 + 一点点 + 粗心地 + V, 也会...

哪怕是一点点粗心地操作，也会导致事故。

这种 + 粗心地 + V + 的行为...

这种粗心地解构传统的行为是不妥的。

Word Family

Nouns

粗心 (Carelessness)

Verbs

粗心 (To be careless - used informally as a verb-like state)

Adjectives

粗心的 (Careless)

细心

小心

大意

疏忽

草率

How to Use It

frequency

Very high in educational and domestic contexts; medium-high in general conversation.

Common Mistakes

他写字粗心地。 → 他粗心地写字。
Adverbs must come before the verb in Chinese, not after.
粗心的做作业 → 粗心地做作业
The particle '地' is required for adverbs; '的' is for adjectives.
我粗心地滑倒了。 → 我不小心滑倒了。
'粗心地' implies a lack of focus on a task; '不小心' is better for physical accidents.
他很粗心地人。 → 他是个很粗心的人。
You cannot use the adverbial form to describe a person directly; use the adjective.
粗心地的写 → 粗心地写
Do not add an extra '的' after '地'. The particle is just '地'.

Tips

The 'De' Rule

Always use '地' when '粗心' is modifying a verb. If it's modifying a noun, use '的'.

Result Matters

Pair '粗心地' with resultative verbs like '写错' (write wrong) or '听错' (hear wrong) for natural phrasing.

Tone Accuracy

Make sure 'cū' and 'xīn' are both first tone—high and level. This is key for being understood.

Softening Criticism

If you criticize someone as '粗心', it's less harsh than calling them '笨' (stupid), as it implies they can improve by focusing.

Ba-Sentences

Adverbs like '粗心地' usually come *before* the '把' in a Ba-sentence: '他粗心地把杯子打破了'.

Context Clues

If you hear 'cu xin', expect to hear about a mistake or a lost item immediately after.

Synonym Choice

Use '马马虎虎' for lazy work and '粗心地' for honest mistakes of inattention.

Visual Aid

Visualize a 'coarse' (粗) heart (心) acting like a rough filter that lets small details slip through.

Apologizing

Use '对不起，我粗心地...' to take responsibility for a mistake without sounding like you did it on purpose.

HSK Prep

This word frequently appears in HSK 2 and 3 reading comprehension sections involving school life.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine your MIND (心) is a ROUGH (粗) piece of sandpaper. When you try to do something delicate, you scratch it up because your mind isn't smooth. That is acting 粗心地.

Visual Association

Picture a person trying to thread a needle with a giant, thick rope. It’s too 'coarse' (粗) for the 'fine' task, leading to a 'careless' failure.

Word Web

粗心 (Careless) 粗糙 (Rough) 粗鲁 (Rude) 细心 (Careful) 小心 (Cautions) 地 (Adverb marker) 错误 (Mistake) 大意 (Negligent)

Challenge

Try to find three things you did '粗心地' today, like forgetting to close a drawer or making a typo, and say the sentence in Chinese.

Word Origin

Composed of three characters. '粗' (cū) originally meant unpolished rice, later expanding to 'coarse' or 'rough'. '心' (xīn) represents the heart, which in Chinese philosophy is the organ of thought. '地' (de) is a structural particle used to mark adverbs.

Original meaning: To have a rough or unpolished mind/heart when performing a task.

Sino-Tibetan

Cultural Context

Be careful when calling others '粗心' in a professional setting in China; it can be taken as a serious insult to their competence. Use '疏忽' to sound more professional and less personal.

English speakers might use 'carelessly' and 'accidentally' interchangeably, but in Chinese, 粗心地 specifically points to the lack of mental focus.

The idiom '马马虎虎' (related to 粗心) has a famous story about a painter who painted a tiger's head on a horse's body. In the classic novel 'Dream of the Red Chamber', characters' attentiveness to detail (or lack thereof) often reflects their social standing and character. Modern Chinese TV dramas often use '粗心' as a character flaw for the 'clumsy but lovable' female lead trope.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

School/Exams

粗心地算错
粗心地写错
粗心地看漏了
粗心地忘带作业

Home/Chores

粗心地打破碗
粗心地忘关灯
粗心地放错调料
粗心地丢了钥匙

Office/Work

粗心地发错邮件
粗心地打错字
粗心地忽略通知
粗心地签错名

Driving/Travel

粗心地走错路
粗心地闯红灯
粗心地看错站
粗心地丢了护照

Socializing

粗心地记错生日
粗心地说错话
粗心地叫错名字
粗心地迟到

Conversation Starters

"你曾经粗心地丢过什么重要的东西吗？"

"你在考试的时候会不会经常粗心地算错数？"

"你觉得怎么样才能改掉粗心地做事的毛病？"

"如果你粗心地发错了信息给老板，你会怎么办？"

"你身边有没有特别粗心地对待生活的朋友？"

Journal Prompts

写一写你最近一次粗心地犯的错误，以及你是如何补救的。

你认为‘粗心地’做事和‘效率高’之间有矛盾吗？为什么？

描述一个你认识的非常粗心的人，他通常会做哪些粗心的事情？

如果世界上没有人会粗心地犯错，生活会变成什么样？

反思一下，在什么样的情况下你最容易粗心地处理事情？

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, to describe personality, you should use the adjective '粗心' or '粗心大意'. '粗心地' is only used to describe how an action is performed.

Yes, it almost always describes a mistake or a negative outcome caused by a lack of attention. You wouldn't use it for positive surprises.

'不小心' is 'accidentally' and can include things like slipping on ice. '粗心地' implies you weren't paying attention to details you should have known.

It must go before the verb. For example: '他粗心地关了门' (He carelessly closed the door).

In very casual spoken Chinese, people sometimes say '粗心做', but it is better and more grammatically correct to include '地'.

Yes, but it sounds a bit personal. In formal business reports, '疏忽' or '大意' might be preferred for a more professional tone.

You can say '非常粗心地' or '很粗心地'.

Yes, it is a standard word learned at the elementary/lower-intermediate level for describing daily life and school.

The most direct opposite is '细心地' (carefully/attentively).

Yes, it can mean 'carelessness' in sentences like '这是他的粗心造成的' (This was caused by his carelessness).