If you do something subconsciously, part of your mind is making you do it, but you are not aware of that part. You just act — and only later, maybe, do you see why.

If you do something subconsciously如果你 subconsciously（下意識地）做某件事, part of your mind is making you do it是你心裡的某個部分在驅使你這麼做, but you are not aware of that part但你並沒有意識到那個部分。You just act你就只是行動了 — and only later, maybe, do you see why也許要等到之後才會明白為什麼。

A person may subconsciously copy the accent of the people around them, or subconsciously avoid a street where something bad once happened. The word almost always describes a real cause, but a hidden one: it says the reason is inside you, not that there is no reason.

A person may subconsciously copy the accent of the people around them一個人可能會 subconsciously 模仿身邊人的口音, or subconsciously avoid a street where something bad once happened或 subconsciously 避開一條曾經發生過壞事的街。The word almost always describes a real cause, but a hidden one這個字幾乎總是在描述一個真實但隱藏起來的原因: it says the reason is inside you它是說原因就在你心裡, not that there is no reason而不是說沒有原因。

Notice how people use it. It is very often used to explain behaviour after the fact — 'I think I was subconsciously trying to make him angry.' That is a guess about yourself, said softly, and the word is doing polite work: it lets you admit something without fully owning it. It also softens blame when talking about others ('she probably wasn't being rude, just subconsciously nervous').

Notice how people use it注意人們怎麼使用這個字。It is very often used to explain behaviour after the fact它很常被用來事後解釋自己的行為 — 'I think I was subconsciously trying to make him angry.'像「I think I was subconsciously trying to make him angry」（我想我是下意識想惹他生氣） That is a guess about yourself, said softly這是對自己的一種猜測，說得很委婉, and the word is doing polite work這個字在做一件很有禮貌的事: it lets you admit something without fully owning it它讓你可以承認某件事，卻不用完全承擔責任。It also softens blame when talking about others談到別人的時候它也能讓責備變得柔和一點 ('she probably wasn't being rude, just subconsciously nervous')（像「she probably wasn't being rude, just subconsciously nervous」她大概不是故意沒禮貌，只是下意識地緊張）。

In everyday talk people use it loosely for anything they did without thinking, which is looser than a psychologist would allow — a doctor keeps 'subconscious' for buried feelings and desires, not for habits like tying your shoes. Both uses are common; the loose one is more common.

In everyday talk people use it loosely在日常對話裡人們用得比較鬆散 for anything they did without thinking只要是沒經過思考做的事都可以用, which is looser than a psychologist would allow這比心理學家允許的用法還要寬鬆 — a doctor keeps 'subconscious' for buried feelings and desires醫生會把 'subconscious' 留給埋藏在心底的感受和慾望, not for habits like tying your shoes而不是用在像綁鞋帶這種習慣動作上。Both uses are common這兩種用法都很常見; the loose one is more common但比較鬆散的那種用法更常見。

It is a slightly serious, thoughtful word — you meet it in articles, therapy talk, and adverts about why we buy things, more than in a quick chat with a friend.

It is a slightly serious, thoughtful word這是一個帶點嚴肅、有點深思的字 — you meet it in articles, therapy talk, and adverts about why we buy things你會在文章、心理治療的談話，還有討論我們為什麼會買東西的廣告裡遇到它, more than in a quick chat with a friend而不是在跟朋友隨口聊天的時候。