上の空 (uwanosora) Japanese meaning: inattention | Kotomoraの
外
を
見
て
い
た
。
During class, he was spacing out and looking out the window.
Even when I spoke to him, he was absent-minded and didn't reply.
Usage patterns
〈事〉を上の空で聞くto listen to something with one's mind elsewhere
He was listening to the teacher's talk with his mind elsewhere.
上の空になるto become absent-minded, to zone out
I became absent-minded thinking about my girlfriend.
〈人〉は上の空で〈動詞〉someone does something while distracted or with their mind elsewhere
My mother answered distractedly, her mind elsewhere.
