Definition
不知所措 (bù zhī-suǒ cuò) means 'not knowing what to do' and emphasizes a sudden mental blank or fluster from an unexpected situation. 惊慌失措 adds panic (惊慌 'panic'), while 束手无策 focuses on being helpless with no solution at hand. 不知所措 is more about confusion and embarrassment than panic or helplessness.
phrase
not knowing what to doat a complete lossembarrassed and flustereddisconcerted
Examples
- ，不知所措。Miàn duì zhège tūrú qí lái de wèntí, tā bù zhī-suǒ cuò.Faced with this unexpected question, he didn't know what to do.
- ，不知所措。Kǎoshì shí yùdào bú huì de tí, wǒ dùnshí bù zhī-suǒ cuò.When I encountered a question I couldn't answer during the exam, I was suddenly at a loss.
- ，不知所措。Zài zhòngrén miànqián shuō cuò huà, tā gǎndào shífēn bù zhī-suǒ cuò.Having said the wrong thing in front of everyone, he crowd, he felt extremely embarrassed and at a loss.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.