Mandarin · 18 October 2026 · Four-Character Idioms
三心二意
sānxīn-èryìPinyin
half-hearted / fickle / indecisive
idiom (adjective / adverbial)
Refers to being constantly distracted, hesitant, or unable to make up one's mind due to divided attention or shifting desires.
In a sentence
今天大伙聚在客厅沙发上就是为了解决水电费对帐的问题，你别三心二意地一边玩手机，赶紧把收据翻出来。
Jīntiān dàhuǒ jù zài kètīng shāfā shàng jiùshì wèile jiějué shuǐdiànfèi duìzhàng de wèntí, nǐ bié sānxīn-èryì de yībiān wán shǒujī, gǎnjǐn bǎ shōujù fān chūlái.
We are gathering on the living room sofa today specifically to resolve the utility bill balancing issue; don't be half-hearted by playing on your phone at the same time, hurry up and dig out the receipts.
