Help to translate more phrases...

[Long Zhiren]

"to check in one's brain"

Is there such an expression in Chinese with a similar emphasis on just "going through the motions" with an indifference towards what's actually said and done?

Thanks.

[stephanhodges]

Or, "to leave one's brains at the door", as in "He left his brains at the door", meaning the same thing.

[elina]

For my limited English level, I’m not sure I truly understand what "to check in one's brain" means, but I guess it’s:

心不在焉:

[unheeding;absent-minded;inattentive;be preoccupied with sth.else;one's mind is not on what one is doing] 心不在这里, 形容思想不集中。

他心不在焉地听他们讲话

[ameran]

I would have to have the context in order to understand the intent of "to check in one's brain." I can't imagine anyone actually using the phrase in a conversation about him/herself or about another person. So, meanings become distorted when a colloquialism is rephrased into an infinitive to provide a dictionary definition. I agree in principle with the other replies - I can imagine that if I wasn't paying attention I might apologize by saying, "Sorry, I left my brains behind." Another colloquialism with a similar message is , "I'm just not with it!" Or describing person who is not paying attention because his/her thoughts are elsewhere = "Oh! He's out of touch!" A person whose mind is continuously inattentive can described as "spacey."

Then again, "to check in one's brain" could mean that a person is taking the time to think silently before speaking, trying to remember or to recall something. "I have it on the tip of my tongue, give me a moment to check in my brain." In other words "to try to remember."