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粗心 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
粗心cūxīncarelessHSK 4, a, rank #17555, Hard
粗心cūxīnthoughtlessHSK 4, a, rank #17555, Hard
cūxīn(cu1xin1) T1
  1. 1careless
  2. 2thoughtless
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March 24, 2026
粗心cūxīn(cu1xin1)

粗心 (cūxīn) refers to a state of being careless or thoughtless, often resulting in mistakes or oversight. It is commonly used to describe someone who fails to pay attention to details, leading to unintentional errors in work or daily tasks.

Frequency#17555DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 粗心 is often frowned upon, especially in academic and professional settings where attention to detail is highly valued. This concept reflects the importance of diligence and responsibility in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Think of 粗 (cū) as ‘coarse’ or ‘rough,’ which can remind you of a rough approach to tasks, and 心 (xīn) meaning ‘heart’ symbolizes the care one should have. Imagine a heart that’s not paying attention, leading to a careless mistake.

Meanings of 粗心

cūxīn(cu1xin1)
1careless
2thoughtless
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 粗心

粗心Simplified
Strokes
Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#17555Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 粗心

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Podcast: 粗心

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AI Study Notes for 粗心

Quick Contrast

粗心 (cūxīn) vs 马虎 (mǎhu) — use 粗心 for a stronger implication of carelessness, while 马虎 suggests a more general sloppiness.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 粗 (cū) as ‘coarse’ or ‘rough,’ which can remind you of a rough approach to tasks, and 心 (xīn) meaning ‘heart’ symbolizes the care one should have. Imagine a heart that’s not paying attention, leading to a careless mistake.

Usage Notes

Be careful when using 粗心, as it conveys a negative connotation; avoid using it in overly formal contexts. Common collocations include 粗心大意 (cūxīn dàyì - careless and thoughtless). Remember that the first tone (cū) can easily be confused with the second tone (cú), which alters the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 粗心 connects well with other adjectives describing states or qualities. Focus on using it in sentences to describe situations or behaviors, as well as exploring synonyms like 马虎 (mǎhu - careless) to deepen your understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 粗心 is often frowned upon, especially in academic and professional settings where attention to detail is highly valued. This concept reflects the importance of diligence and responsibility in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 粗心 with 马虎 (mǎhu) but they are not interchangeable in all contexts. For example, saying '我很马虎' (Wǒ hěn mǎhu - I am very careless) is correct, but using 粗心 here might sound too harsh.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 粗心

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Component Characters

coarse
HSK 411 strokes
View full entry
xīnheart
HSK 44 strokes
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Write 粗心

Practice writing 粗心 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 粗心

粗心 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高,not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

哥哥非常____,弟弟却恰好相反。

The older brother is very careless, but the younger brother is just the opposite.

Example Sentences for 粗心 (4)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
专业学科充满陷阱,专套粗心大意的人。

zhuān yè xué kē chōng mǎn xiàn jǐng, , zhuān tào cū xīn dà yì de。

Specialist subjects are full of pitfalls for the unwary.
2
当心不要因收放粗心压纵你的衣服.

dāng xīn bù yào yīn shōu fàng cū xīn yā zòng nǐ de yī fú.

Take care not to crumple your dress by packing it carelessly.
3
我打碎了这个花瓶,我真是愚蠢/笨/粗心.

wǒ dǎ suì le zhè gè huā píng, , wǒ zhēn shì yú/ chǔn/ / bèn.

How stupid / silly / clumsy / careless of me to break the vase.
4
他因粗心大意挨说了.

tā yīn cū xīn dà yì āi shuō le.

He was told off for being careless.

Cultural Notes for 粗心

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, being 粗心 is often frowned upon, especially in academic and professional settings where attention to detail is highly valued. This concept reflects the importance of diligence and responsibility in Chinese society.

Frequently Asked Questions about 粗心

Common synonyms include 马虎 (mǎhu) and 疏忽 (shūhū), both conveying a sense of carelessness.