Chinese word

找不到

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǎo bù dào

Meaning

  • verbcan't find

Example

我在包里找不到钥匙。wǒ zài bāo lǐ zhǎo bú dào yào shi

I can't find the keys in my bag.

Illustration for 找不到 (can't find)

More examples

我翻遍了抽屉，还是找不到钥匙。wǒ fān biàn le chōu tì hái shì zhǎo bú dào yào shi

I searched through the drawer, but I still can't find the keys.

Core concept

A path toward a target stops before contact, leaving its location unresolved.

Common phrases

  • 找不到钥匙zhǎo bú dào yào shi

    can't find the keys

  • 找不到手机zhǎo bú dào shǒu jī

    can't find the cellphone

  • 找不到钱包zhǎo bú dào qián bāo

    can't find the wallet

Similar words

找不见zhǎo bú jiàn: Colloquially being unable to see or find a person or thing after looking.
找不着zhǎo bù zhe: Colloquially being unable to find a person or thing despite searching.
丢了diū le: Having lost a thing so that it is no longer in one's possession.

Definition in Chinese

表示在寻找某物或某人时，经过查找仍无法发现或确定其存在或位置。biǎo shì zài xún zhǎo mǒu wù huò mǒu rén shí jīng guò chá zhǎo réng wú fǎ fā xiàn huò què dìng qí cún zài huò wèi zhì

Word origin

找 (zhǎo, "look for") + 不 (bù, "not") + 到 (dào, "reach") presents a search that fails to reach the result of finding.

Usage tips

  • The expression describes the result of a search at a particular time and does not by itself mean that the missing thing or person is gone forever.

Other meanings

  • be nowhere to be foundverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word