若有所失 ruò yǒu suǒ shī as if something were missing

Explanation

形容人好像丢了什么东西一样，心神不定，心里感到空虚。

Describes someone who acts as if they have lost something, restless and inwardly empty.

Origin Story

小镇上，老张的豆腐店生意一直很好，但他最近却总是若有所失。他看着每天忙碌的景象，心里却空落落的。原来，老张的独子远走他乡，为了自己的梦想打拼。老张嘴上不说，但总在不经意间望着远方，眼神中带着一丝忧愁，一丝牵挂。他依旧每天起早贪黑地做豆腐，可那熟悉的味道，似乎也淡了一些。他知道儿子不容易，但他又忍不住担心，担心儿子在外面吃苦，担心儿子会迷失方向。夜深人静的时候，他常常坐在窗前，看着窗外闪烁的星光，默默地思念着远方的儿子，心里充满了难以言喻的牵挂与焦虑，如同丢失了什么珍贵的宝物一般，难以平静。他会在儿子小时候的照片前久久凝望，想起儿子小时候的趣事，嘴角露出一丝微笑，但转眼间，又会恢复若有所失的神情。这种若有所失的感觉，就像他丢失了他最心爱的宝贝，让他日夜难安。他盼望着儿子能早日回来，给他带来好消息。

xiao zhen shang, lao zhang de doufu dian shengyi yizhi hen hao, dan ta zuijin que zong shi ruò yǒu suǒ shī. ta kanzhe meitian manglu de xianxiang, xinli que kong luoluoluo de. yuanlai, lao zhang de duzi yuan zou ta xiang, weile zijide mengxiang daping. lao zhang zui shang bu shuo, dan zong zai bu jingyi jian wangzhe yuanfang, yanzhong dai zhe yisi youchou, yisi qian gua. ta yiyou meitian qi zao tan hei de zuo doufu, ke na shuxi de weidao, sihu ye dan le yixie. ta zhidao erzi bu rongyi, dan ta you renbu zhu danxin, danxin erzi zai wai mian chi ku, danxin erzi hui mishi fangxiang. ye shen ren jing de shihou, ta changchang zuo zai chuang qian, kanzhe chuang wai shanshuo de xingguang, momo de sinianzhe yuanfang de erzi, xinli chongman le nan yi yan yu de qian gua yu jiaolu, ru tong shi qu le shenme zhen gui de baowu yiyang, nan yi pingjing. ta hui zai erzi xiaoshihou de zhaopian qian jiujiu ningwang, xiangqi erzi xiaoshihou de qushi, zoujiao lu chu yisi weixiao, dan zhuan yan jian, you hui huifu ruò yǒu suǒ shī de shenqing. zhe zhong ruò yǒu suǒ shī de ganjue, jiu xiang ta shi qu le ta zui xin'ai de baobao, rang ta riye nan an. ta panwangzhe erzi neng zao ri huilai, gei ta dailai hao xiaoxi.

In a small town, Lao Zhang's tofu shop had always been successful, but recently he has always felt a sense of loss. He watches the daily hustle and bustle, yet his heart feels empty. It turns out that Lao Zhang's only son has left for a faraway place to pursue his dreams. Lao Zhang doesn't say anything, but he often gazes into the distance unintentionally, his eyes filled with a hint of sadness and worry. He still gets up early and works hard every day to make tofu, but the familiar flavor seems to have faded a bit. He knows that it's not easy for his son, but he can't help but worry, worried that his son is suffering in a foreign land, worried that his son will lose his way. Late at night, when the world is quiet, he often sits by the window, looking at the twinkling stars outside, silently missing his son far away, his heart filled with indescribable worry and anxiety, as if he had lost some precious treasure, unable to calm down. He would stare at his son's childhood photos for a long time, recalling the funny things his son did when he was a child, a smile playing on his lips, but in the blink of an eye, he would return to his lost expression. This feeling of loss is like he had lost his most beloved treasure, making him restless day and night. He hopes that his son will return soon and bring him good news.

Usage

常用来形容人因某种原因而心神不定、情绪低落、感觉空虚的状态。

chang yong lai xingrong ren yin mou zhong yuanyin er xin shen bu ding, qingxu diliao, ganjue kongxu de zhuangtai.

Often used to describe a person's state of being restless, depressed, and feeling empty due to some reason.

Examples

• 他自从妻子去世后，就一直若有所失。

  ta zimeigu qizi qushile hou, jiu yizhi ruò yǒu suǒ shī.

  He has been lost in thought ever since his wife passed away.

• 他最近心事重重，总是若有所失的样子。

  ta zuijin xin shi chongchong, zong shi ruò yǒu suǒ shī de yangzi.

  He's been very pensive lately, always seeming as if something is missing.

Related Idioms

• 怅然若失

• 魂不守舍

Opposite Idioms

• 若无其事

• 泰然自若