愣神 (lèng shén) — to be in a daze, to stare blankly, to daydream

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning to zone out or stare blankly for a moment, losing focus on what's around you. Often used with 着 or 了 to mark an ongoing or completed spell of absent-mindedness.

verb
to be in a dazeto stare blanklyto daydream

Examples

  • 愣神。
    Tā zuò zài nà lǐ lèng shén.
    He sat there staring blankly.
  • ，。
    Tā lèng zhe shén, méi tīng jiàn wǒ jiào tā.
    He was lost in thought and didn't hear me call him.
  • ，。
    Tā lèng le shén, rán hòu cái huí dá.
    She was in a daze for a moment, then answered.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

愣lèngbe dazed
神shénmind/spirit

愣 gives the sense of being dazed, and 神 is the mind, so one's mind is dazed.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
楞
楞léng愣
Same sound today

愣 is built from 忄, a heart radical, plus 楞, which supplies its sound.

Open 愣 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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