不知所措

bùzhī-suǒcuò

idiom HSK 7-9 #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

HSK 4

听到这个消息，她不知所措。

Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, tā bùzhī-suǒcuò.

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

HSK 5

别紧张，不知所措只会让事情更糟。

Bié jǐnzhāng, bùzhī-suǒcuò zhǐ huì ràng shìqing gèng zāo.

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

HSK 6

面对突发情况，他完全不知所措。

Miànduì tūfā qíngkuàng, tā wánquán bùzhī-suǒcuò.

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

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