迷失

• Pinyin: mí shī
• Hanzi breakdown: 迷 = 辶 (movement radical) + 米 (rice, phonetic) — to lose one's way; 失 = 手 (hand) + 乙 (phonetic) — to lose, to let go

Meaning

To lose oneself; to become lost; to go astray. Describes losing one's sense of direction, identity, purpose, or moral grounding — most commonly used figuratively.

More literary and introspective than 迷路. While 迷路 often refers to physical disorientation, 迷失 is predominantly used for spiritual, psychological, or moral lostness: losing one's values, identity, or life direction. Common in literature, psychology, and philosophical discourse.

Examples

1. 在名利的诱惑面前，他逐渐迷失了自我，忘记了当初踏入这个行业时的初心与抱负。 Tempted by fame and profit, he gradually lost himself and forgot the original intentions and ambitions that brought him into the industry.
2. 长期高压的工作环境使她对自己真正想要的生活感到迷失，甚至不再清楚自己是谁。 Years in a high-pressure work environment left her feeling lost about the life she truly wanted—she no longer even felt sure who she was.
3. 这部小说以一个迷失在现代都市中的青年为主角，探讨了身份认同与归属感的深层命题。 This novel centers on a young man lost in the modern city and explores deeper questions of identity and belonging.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, literature, philosophy, self-reflection, society

Tone: introspective

Do Say

• 现代社会中有不少人在物质追求与精神空虚之间迷失了方向，无法在忙碌的生活中找到真正的意义。(Many people in modern society lose their way between the pursuit of material wealth and spiritual emptiness, unable to find true meaning amid their busy lives.)
• 他在经历了那场人生变故之后，一度陷入深深的迷失，直到重新拾起画笔才逐渐找回了内心的平静。(After experiencing that life-changing event, he fell into a deep state of lostness, and it was not until he picked up the paintbrush again that he gradually recovered his inner peace.)

Don't Say

• 将'迷失'与单纯的地理迷路混用 — 迷失多指精神或方向上的失落，描述在地图上找不到路应优先使用'迷路' (Do not use 迷失 interchangeably with physical navigation lostness — 迷失 primarily denotes spiritual or directional disorientation; use 迷路 preferably when someone cannot find their physical way)

Origin & History

迷 = 辶 (movement) + 米 (phonetic) — to be lost, confused; 失 = 手 (hand) + 乙 (lost, phonetic) — to lose, to miss. Together: to lose oneself or lose one's way entirely.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal