Meaning
疏忽 refers to failing to pay proper attention to something important, resulting in an oversight or mistake. It describes both the action of being careless and the state of negligence itself. The word carries a sense of unintentional error due to lack of attention rather than deliberate wrongdoing.
Usage
Commonly used in formal or semi-formal contexts to describe mistakes in work, safety issues, or responsibilities. Often appears in phrases like 工作疏忽 (work negligence) or 一时疏忽 (momentary carelessness). Native speakers use it when admitting errors or explaining how accidents happened due to inattention.
Examples
- 01这次事故是由于我的疏忽造成的。.This accident was caused by my negligence.
- 02工作中不能有丝毫疏忽。.There must not be the slightest negligence in work.
Characters
Common collocations
- 一时疏忽momentary negligence
- 工作疏忽work negligence
- 疏忽大意careless and negligent
- 由于疏忽due to negligence
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to lack of attention: 疏 originally meant 'sparse' or 'not dense,' extended to mean 'not thorough,' while 忽 means 'to overlook' or 'suddenly.' Together they emphasize the idea of gaps in attention.