Definition
失神 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to be absent-minded' or 'to be distracted', and it can also mean 'to be in low spirits'. As a verb-object compound, 失 and 神 can split when you add aspect markers (了, 过) or duration phrases between them — e.g., 失了神 ('lost focus') or 失了一阵神 ('was distracted for a while'). The second sense, 'in low spirits', is less common and usually used without splitting.
v.o.
(verb-object) to be absent-mindedto lose focus(verb-object) to be in low spirits
Examples
- ？失神？Nǐ zài xiǎng shénme? Zěnme yìzhí zài shī shén?What are you thinking about? Why have you been absent-minded all along?
- ，。Wǒ gāngcái shī le yíhuìr shén, méi tīngdào nǐ shuō shénme.I was distracted for a moment just now and didn't hear what you said.
- ，失神。Tā zuìjìn xīnqíng bù hǎo, chángcháng shī shén.He's in a bad mood lately and is often in low spirits.
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