不知所措 Bù zhī suǒ cuò At a loss

Explanation

不知道怎么办才好。形容处境尴尬或心神慌乱。

Don't know what to do. Describes an awkward situation or mental confusion.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，诸葛恪，字元逊，是诸葛亮的堂兄弟，也是个很有才华的人。他被孙权任命为大将军，权倾朝野。然而，他性格反复无常，刚愎自用，常常做出一些让人难以理解的决定。有一次，孙权病重，朝中大臣们都人心惶惶，不知所措。诸葛恪为了巩固自己的权力，竟然擅自废除了太子，另立新君。这一举动，激起了许多大臣的不满，朝中局势变得更加动荡不安。面对这种复杂的局面，诸葛恪自己也开始感到焦虑和迷茫。他写信给弟弟诸葛融，信中写道："近日朝中变故频发，我心中忧虑，不知所措。"这封信，也反映了他当时的无奈和困境。

huà shuō sān guó shí qī, zhū gé kè, zì yuán xùn, shì zhū gé liàng de táng xiōng dì, yě shì gè hěn yǒu cái huá de rén. tā bèi sūn quán rèn mìng wéi dà jiàng jūn, quán qīng zhāo yě. rán ér, tā xìng gé fǎn fù wú cháng, gāng bì zì yòng, cháng cháng zuò chū yīxiē ràng rén nán yǐ lǐ jiě de juédìng. yǒu yī cì, sūn quán bìng zhòng, zhāo zhōng dà chén men dōu rén xīn huāng huāng, bù zhī suǒ cuò. zhū gé kè wèi le gòng gù zì jǐ de quán lì, jìng rán shàn zì fèi chú le tài zǐ, lìng lì xīn jūn. zhè yī jǔdòng, jī qǐ le xǔ duō dà chén de bù mǎn, zhāo zhōng jú shì biàn de gèng jiā dòng dàng bù ān. miàn duì zhè zhǒng fù zá de jú miàn, zhū gé kè zì jǐ yě kāi shǐ gǎn dào jiāo lǜ hé mí máng. tā xiě xìn gěi dìdì zhū gé róng, xìn zhōng xiě dào: "jìn rì zhāo zhōng biàn gù pín fā, wǒ xīn zhōng yōu lǜ, bù zhī suǒ cuò." zhè fēng xìn, yě fǎn yìng le tā dāng shí de wú nài hé kùnjìng.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Ke, a talented man, was also capricious and self-willed. When Emperor Sun Quan fell seriously ill, the court officials were frightened and at a loss. To consolidate his power, Zhuge Ke deposed the crown prince and appointed a new emperor. This led to dissatisfaction and instability. Zhuge Ke himself felt anxious and uncertain, and wrote to his brother Zhuge Rong: "Recently, there have been many changes in the court, and I am worried and at a loss." This letter reflects his helplessness and predicament at that time.

Usage

用于形容人遇到难以处理的事情时，不知如何是好的状态。

yòng yú miáo xù rén yù dào nán yǐ chǔ lǐ de shì qíng shí, bù zhī rú hé shì hǎo de zhuàng tài.

Used to describe the state of a person when encountering a difficult situation, not knowing what to do.

Examples

• 面对突如其来的变故，他不知所措，手足无措。

  miàn duì tū rú ér lái de biànguò, tā bù zhī suǒ cuò, shǒu zú wú cuò.

  Faced with the sudden changes, he was at a loss, at his wit's end.

• 听到这个噩耗，她不知所措，泪流满面。

  tīng dào zhège è hào, tā bù zhī suǒ cuò, lèi liú mǎn miàn.

  Hearing the bad news, she was at a loss, weeping.

Related Idioms

• 手足无措

• 惊慌失措

• 心慌意乱

Opposite Idioms

• 从容不迫

• 泰然自若

• 应对自如