wan4 bat1 fu6 tai2魂不附體魂不附体
Jyutpingwan4 bat1 fu6 tai2
Yalewàhn bāt fuh tái
Definition
Literally having one's soul leave the body; scared out of one's wits, or utterly distracted and absentminded.
- figurativescared out of one's wits; terrified
- absentminded; lost in thought; inattentive
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
This idiom describes a state of being so distracted or shocked that one's spirit seems to have left the body. While it can imply being deep in thought, it often carries a slightly negative connotation of being unreliable or disconnected from the immediate situation. It is more expressive and literary than simply saying someone is absentminded.
Examples
He is always absentminded and doesn't even focus when talking.
Related words
Common phrases
appearing to be inattentive
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a supernatural event, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe someone who is mentally checked out or daydreaming.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
