Scattered means spread out, not gathered in one pile or one moment.

Scattered means spread out scattered意思是散開的，not gathered in one pile or one moment 不是聚成一堆，也不是集中在同一個時刻。

Houses can be scattered across a valley: a few here, a few there, with empty land between. Rain can be scattered too — it falls in some places and not in others. The same picture works for time: scattered emails through the week do not arrive in a bunch; they come now and then over many days.

Houses can be scattered across a valley 房子可以scattered散布在一個山谷裡：a few here, a few there, with empty land between 這裡幾間、那裡幾間，中間隔著空地。Rain can be scattered too 雨也可以是scattered的——it falls in some places and not in others 有些地方下、有些地方不下。The same picture works for time 同樣的畫面也可以用在時間上：scattered emails through the week do not arrive in a bunch 一整個星期scattered的信件不會一次全部到；they come now and then over many days 而是這幾天、那幾天，斷斷續續地來。

You will meet it in quiet, ordinary English (scattered villages, scattered showers) and in news and school books; it is not slang, and it is not rude.

You will meet it in quiet, ordinary English 你會在平常、普通的英文裡遇到這個字 (scattered villages, scattered showers) （像scattered villages、scattered showers）and in news and school books 也會在新聞和課本裡看到；it is not slang, and it is not rude 這不是俚語，也不是不禮貌的字。

Though actually, people also call a person scattered when that person’s thoughts feel the same way — here, then suddenly there. That use is informal and sits next to scatterbrained, but the core meaning you are learning is still this one: not in one place, and not all at once.

Though actually, people also call a person scattered 但其實大家也會說一個人scattered when that person's thoughts feel the same way 當這個人的思緒也給人同樣的感覺——here, then suddenly there 一下在這裡，突然又跑到那裡。That use is informal 這個用法比較口語、不正式 and sits next to scatterbrained 跟scatterbrained這個字很接近，but the core meaning you are learning is still this one 但你要學的核心意思還是這一個：not in one place, and not all at once 不在同一個地方，也不是一次全部發生。