Definition
发呆 (fā dāi) is a colloquial separable verb meaning 'to be in a daze, stare blankly' — often from boredom or idleness, a passive blankness. Unlike 愣 (lèng), which implies being stunned by a sudden event, or 出神 (chū shén), which means actively lost in thought or daydreaming, 发呆 suggests an empty, unresponsive state. The similar 发愣 (fā lèng) is closer but often hints at a momentary shock.
verb
to be in a dazeto stare blankly
Examples
- 发呆。Tā shàngkè de shíhou zǒng zài fā dāi.He always spaces out during class.
- ，。Tā zài nàr fā le bàntiān dāi, shénme yě méi zuò.He spaced out there for ages and didn't do anything.
- 发呆，？Bié fā dāi le, zěnme bàn nǐ xiǎng hǎo le ma?Stop staring blankly — have you figured out what to do?
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