Chinese word

不知所措

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù zhī suǒ cuò

Meaning

  • idiomnot know what to do

Example

面试时她紧张得不知所措。miàn shì shí tā jǐn zhāng de bù zhī suǒ cuò

During the interview, she was so nervous that she did not know what to do.

Illustration for 不知所措 (not know what to do)

More examples

服务器崩溃后，技术人员一时不知所措。fú wù qì bēng kuì hòu jì shù rén yuán yì shí bù zhī suǒ cuò

After the server crashed, the technicians did not know what to do for a while.

Core concept

Confusion that leaves a person unable to choose an effective response.

Common phrases

  • 紧张得不知所措jǐn zhāng de bù zhī suǒ cuò

    be so nervous that one does not know what to do

  • 面对突发事件不知所措miàn duì tū fā shì jiàn bù zhī suǒ cuò

    not know what to do when facing a sudden event

  • 把人弄得不知所措bǎ rén nòng de bù zhī suǒ cuò

    leave someone at a loss

Similar words

手足无措shǒu zú wú cuò: Being frozen by surprise or anxiety and unsure how to move or act.
惊慌失措jīng huāng shī cuò: Becoming flustered by sudden fear and unable to respond calmly.
无所适从wú suǒ shì cóng: Not knowing which course to follow and feeling unsure how to proceed.
束手无策shù shǒu wú cè: Having no available way to solve a problem or deal with a situation.

Definition in Chinese

面对意外情况或无法找到合适办法时产生的慌乱与无助感。miàn duì yì wài qíng kuàng huò wú fǎ zhǎo dào hé shì bàn fǎ shí chǎn shēng de huāng luàn yǔ wú zhù gǎn

Word origin

不知所措 (bùzhīsuǒcuò, "not know what to do") uses 不 (bù, "not") + 知 (zhī, "know") with 所 (suǒ, "place") + 措 (cuò, "put or handle") to picture having no way to manage a situation.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use "confused" broadly, but this idiom also conveys helplessness when confusion leaves no clear response.

Other meanings

  • be confusedidiom

Opposites

  • 游刃有余yóu rèn yǒu yúhandle things with easeidiom
  • 应付自如yìng fù zì rúcope with easeidiom

Word lists with this word