不知所措

النطق: bù zhī suǒ cuò المعنى الحرفي: Not knowing where to put hands and feet

الأصل والاستخدام

This idiom describes not (不) knowing (知) where to (所) place oneself (措). The character 措 relates to arranging or placing, suggesting complete confusion about how to position or comport oneself. The phrase captures the paralysis of unexpected situations that render previous knowledge useless. It appeared in historical texts describing officials facing unprecedented crises. Modern usage describes being at a complete loss, overwhelmed by circumstances that leave one unable to decide how to respond.

متى تستخدم

الموقف: Faced with the sudden crisis, the team was at a loss.

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