気(き)が散(ち)る

きがちる

expression

distracted, unable to focus

1. distracted, unable to concentrate

Describes a state where one's attention is diverted and concentration is broken.

周(まわ)りがうるさくて気(き)が散(ち)る。

It's too noisy around here and I can't focus.

スマホを見(み)ると気(き)が散(ち)るから片付(かたづ)けた。

I put my phone away because it was distracting me.

気(き)が散(ち)って勉強(べんきょう)に集中(しゅうちゅう)できない。

I'm too distracted to concentrate on studying.

テレビがついていると気(き)が散(ち)るから、消(け)してくれない？

The TV being on is distracting, could you turn it off?

窓(まど)の外(そと)で工事(こうじ)をしていて気(き)が散(ち)る。早(はや)く終(お)わってほしい。

There's construction outside the window and it's distracting. I wish they'd finish soon.

Structure: 気(き) (attention) + が + 散(ち)る (to scatter). Literally 'one's attention scatters.'

Transitive counterpart: 気(き)を散(ち)らす (to distract someone or oneself)

ゲームで気(き)を散(ち)らす (to distract oneself with games)

Related words

集中(しゅうちゅう)できない (can't concentrate)
注意(ちゅうい)が散漫(さんまん) (attention is scattered - more formal)

Similar words

気(き)が散(ち)る: passive distraction (something pulls your attention away)
気(き)を取(と)られる: attention is captured by one particular thing

Related Words

Pair verb: 散(ち)らす (to scatter (transitive; 気を散らす = to distract))

Antonym: 集中(しゅうちゅう) (concentration)

Related: 散漫(さんまん) (scattered, unfocused (formal))

Compare: 気(き)を取(と)られる (to have one's attention drawn away)

core

Added 2026.1.18 19:03 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:05

06500/06883_kigachiru