Translation guide
The English word 'scattered' describes things spread out over an area without order, or a state of being dispersed. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for physical scattering, mental distraction, and idiomatic uses.
Describing objects, people, or things that are not together but spread across a space, often messily or randomly.
The most common way to say things are scattered around. It implies a state of being spread out, often messily.
Toys are scattered all over the room.
Papers are scattered on the desk.
A more formal or written term for being scattered or strewn about, often used for debris or litter.
Trash is scattered on the road.
Used when things are scattered but in a dotted, sparse pattern, like houses or trees across a landscape.
Small villages are scattered among the mountains.
An onomatopoeic word describing things that are apart, separated, or scattered in a disorderly way. Often used with になる or にする.
The team became scattered (disorganized).
Books are placed scattered about.
Describing a state where one's thoughts or attention are not concentrated, but spread thinly across many things.
Literally 'one's mind is scattered', this is the standard way to say you are distracted or unable to focus.
My mind is scattered today and I can't focus on work.
A more formal way to say one's attention is scattered or diffuse. Often used in written or evaluative contexts.
A noun or na-adjective meaning 'diffuse' or 'scattered', used for attention or thoughts. Often in compound phrases.
Referring to rain that occurs in isolated, spread-out areas rather than continuously.
Describing events, reports, or items that appear here and there, not continuously.
A na-adjective meaning 'sporadic' or 'scattered', used for events that happen occasionally and irregularly.
Scattered protests are continuing.
An onomatopoeic adverb meaning 'here and there' or 'sparsely', often used for scattered occurrences or things appearing gradually.
Do not directly translate 'my mind is scattered' as 私の心は散らばっている. Use the set phrase 気が散っている instead.
I'm too scattered to study.
散らばっている is the everyday word for things being scattered around. 散乱している is more formal and often used for litter, debris, or in written descriptions. In casual speech, stick to 散らばっている.
The room is messy (things scattered).
His attention is scattered, so he makes many mistakes.
思考が散漫になる。
Thoughts become scattered.
There may be scattered showers in the afternoon.
散発的に銃声が聞こえた。
Scattered gunshots were heard.
ぽつぽつとお客さんが来始めた。
Customers started coming in scattered (one by one).
Trash is scattered on the beach.