手足无措

النطق: shǒu zú wú cuò المعنى الحرفي: Hands and feet without placement

الأصل والاستخدام

This idiom describes hands (手) and feet (足) having no place (无措) to go - not knowing where to put one's limbs. The physical awkwardness represents mental confusion and panic. The phrase appeared in Confucian texts describing the discomfort of impropriety. It captures the paralysis of sudden confusion where even basic physical coordination fails. Modern usage describes being so flustered or surprised that one doesn't know how to react.

أمثلة

الإنجليزية: "The sudden question left him completely flustered."

الصينية: 这个突如其来的问题让他手足无措。