不知所措

bùzhīsuǒcuò

idiom #8,187

Meanings

1 at a loss; not knowing what to do
2 bewildered; flustered

Characters

that which (classical particle)

to place; to arrange

Literally 'not knowing where to place (oneself)' — so bewildered that one cannot act.

Examples

听到这个消息，她不知所措。

Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, tā bùzhīsuǒcuò.

Upon hearing the news, she didn't know what to do.

面对突发情况，他完全不知所措。

Miànduì tūfā qíngkuàng, tā wánquán bùzhīsuǒcuò.

Faced with the unexpected situation, he was completely at a loss.

别紧张，不知所措只会让事情更糟。

Bié jǐnzhāng, bùzhīsuǒcuò zhǐ huì ràng shìqing gèng zāo.

Don't panic — being flustered will only make things worse.

Tips

grammar

不知所措 follows the classical pattern 不 + verb + 所 + verb: 'not knowing where to place (oneself/one's hands).' Similar structures: 不知所云 (not knowing what is being said), 无所适从 (not knowing whom to follow).

history

From classical Chinese. 措 originally meant 'to place' or 'to arrange.' The idiom literally means 'not knowing where to place one's hands and feet' — so confused that one doesn't know how to act.

Stroke Order

不 bù

知 zhī

所 suǒ

措 cuò