上うわの空そら

う

わ

の

そ

ら

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

inattention; absent-mindedness; spacing out

Describes a state where one's mind is elsewhere, not paying attention to the immediate surroundings or conversation. Often used with する or だ.

窓まど

の

外そと

を

見み

て

い

た

。

During class, he was spacing out and looking out the window.

話はなしかけても上うわの空そらで、返へん事じがなかった。

Even when I spoke to him, he was absent-minded and didn't reply.

〈事こと〉を上うわの空そらで聞きくto listen to something with one's mind elsewhere
彼かれは先せん生せいの話はなしを上うわの空そらで聞きいていた。
He was listening to the teacher's talk with his mind elsewhere.
上うわの空そらになるto become absent-minded, to zone out
恋こい人びとのことを考かんがえて上うわの空そらになった。
I became absent-minded thinking about my girlfriend.
〈人ひと〉は上うわの空そらで〈動どう詞し〉someone does something while distracted or with their mind elsewhere
母ははは上うわの空そらで返へん事じをした。
My mother answered distractedly, her mind elsewhere.

ぼんやりN3
ぼんやり is a general word for being vague, dim, or absent-minded, while 上の空 specifically means one's mind is elsewhere, often while someone is talking to you.
放ほう心しん
放心 describes a dazed, blank mental state often caused by shock or exhaustion, whereas 上の空 refers to the mind simply wandering elsewhere during everyday attention.
手てにつかないN2
上の空 describes a distracted, absent-minded state in general, while 手につかない specifically stresses being unable to focus on a task or work because of worry or excitement.
気きが散ちるN2
上の空 describes a spaced-out, absent-minded state of mind, whereas 気が散る focuses on the act of one's concentration being disrupted.
気きを取とられるN2
上の空 describes a general absent-minded state of not paying attention, while 気を取られる points to a specific thing that has captured one's attention.

集しゅう中ちゅうN3
集中 means giving full, focused attention to something, the opposite of 上の空, where one's attention has drifted away.

Literally 'sky above', suggesting one's mind is floating away from the present. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.