If someone is scatterbrained, their thoughts will not stay in one place long enough for the practical jobs to get done. They start a task, remember something else, put the keys down “for a second,” and then cannot say where anything is. They are not slow, and they are not unkind; the mind is simply busy in too many directions at once, so the small, ordinary steps — time, bags, names, the thing in their hand — slip.

If someone is scatterbrained如果一個人scatterbrained，their thoughts他的念頭 will not stay in one place長期無法安分待在一個地方 long enough for the practical jobs to get done久到讓實際的事做完。They他們 start a task開始做一件事，remember something else想到別的事，put the keys down "for a second"把鑰匙放下說「等一下」，and then而後 cannot say where anything is就說不出東西放哪了。They他們 are not slow不是遲鈍，and they are not unkind也不是不貼心；the mind他們的腦子 is simply busy in too many directions at once只是同時忙著太多方向，so所以 the small, ordinary steps那些小小的、平常的步驟——time, bags, names, the thing in their hand時間、包包、名字、手上拿的東西——slip就漏掉了。

People use it most about daily muddle: lost tickets, milk in the cupboard, a bag left on the bus.

People人們 use it most about最常拿它來說 daily muddle日常的迷糊事：lost tickets弄丟票、milk in the cupboard牛奶放進櫃子、a bag left on the bus包包忘在公車上。

It is informal, and usually said with a smile, about a friend or about yourself. Said as a judgement, it can sting.

It是 is informal口語用法，and usually said with a smile而且通常帶著微笑說出來，about a friend or about yourself說朋友或說自己都可以。Said as a judgement若是當成批評來說，it它 can sting可能會刺傷人。

Older writing sometimes puts a hyphen: scatter-brained.

Older writing較舊的寫法 sometimes puts a hyphen有時候會加連字號：scatter-brained scatter-brained。

Though actually, people also talk of a “scatterbrained genius”: strong with ideas, clumsy with ordinary life. That picture is the same word, not a different one.

Though actually不過其實，people人們 also talk of a "scatterbrained genius"也會說「scatterbrained genius（迷糊的天才）」：strong with ideas想法很強，clumsy with ordinary life卻在日常生活笨手笨腳。That那種畫面 picture is the same word和前面是同一個字，not a different one不是另一個意思。