Distracting oneself with 気を紛らす
気を紛らす means deliberately focusing on something else to get temporary relief from worry, sadness, loneliness, or anxiety. English equivalents include “take one’s mind off things” and “distract oneself”.
Literal Meaning
This expression literally translates as “to scatter or mix up one’s spirit”. The word 気 represents one’s spirit, mind, or feelings, while 紛らす means to confuse, mix up, or divert.
Usage Notes
Someone might listen to music, take a walk, or talk to a friend to avoid dwelling on a problem. Unlike 気が散る, which is involuntary, 気を紛らす is deliberate.
Examples
Reading a book to distract from waiting for a text message with 気を紛らす
Idiom Explanation: Distracting oneself with 気を紛らす
Akari is expecting a text message from Izumi. Unknown to her, Izumi’s response was getting too long, so he switched to his computer to write up an e-mail instead.
- Narration:
- 「和泉からの返信が来ない」
- “I haven't received a reply from Izumi.”
- あかり:
- 「楽しみにしてた新刊読んで気を紛らわそう！」
- “I'll distract myself by reading the new book I've been looking forward to!”
- 「没頭してたらいつのまにか返信来てたりするかもね！」
- “Maybe if I get really absorbed in it, the reply will show up before I know it!”