Long Zhiren Posted December 12, 2005 at 09:10 PM Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 at 09:10 PM "to check in one's brain" Is there such an expression in Chinese with a similar emphasis on just "going through the motions" with an indifference towards what's actually said and done? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanhodges Posted December 12, 2005 at 09:22 PM Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 at 09:22 PM Or, "to leave one's brains at the door", as in "He left his brains at the door", meaning the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elina Posted December 13, 2005 at 07:21 AM Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 at 07:21 AM For my limited English level, I’m not sure I truly understand what "to check in one's brain" means, but I guess it’s: 心不在焉: [unheeding;absent-minded;inattentive;be preoccupied with sth.else;one's mind is not on what one is doing] 心不在这里, 形容思想不集中。 他心不在焉地听他们讲话 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ameran Posted December 26, 2005 at 07:26 PM Report Share Posted December 26, 2005 at 07:26 PM I would have to have the context in order to understand the intent of "to check in one's brain." I can't imagine anyone actually using the phrase in a conversation about him/herself or about another person. So, meanings become distorted when a colloquialism is rephrased into an infinitive to provide a dictionary definition. I agree in principle with the other replies - I can imagine that if I wasn't paying attention I might apologize by saying, "Sorry, I left my brains behind." Another colloquialism with a similar message is , "I'm just not with it!" Or describing person who is not paying attention because his/her thoughts are elsewhere = "Oh! He's out of touch!" A person whose mind is continuously inattentive can described as "spacey." Then again, "to check in one's brain" could mean that a person is taking the time to think silently before speaking, trying to remember or to recall something. "I have it on the tip of my tongue, give me a moment to check in my brain." In other words "to try to remember." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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