How do you pronounce 无所适从?

无所适从 is pronounced wú suǒ shì cóng in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 无所适从 literally mean?

Literally, 无所适从 means “nowhere to go or follow”. It is used to mean “to be at a loss as to what to do or how to act”.

Where does 无所适从 come from?

无所适从 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 无所适从?

适：归向；从：跟从。不知听从哪一个好。指不知怎么办才好。

无所适从 — “To be at a loss as to what to do or how to act”

无所适从 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be at a loss as to what to do or how to act”. To not know which course to take due to conflicting instructions or lack of clear direction. Literally, “nowhere to go or follow”.

Frequency

无所适从 Pronunciation and Pinyin

无wú
所suǒ
适shì
从cóng

无所适从 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
无	wú	4	without, not having
所	suǒ	8	place or that which
适	shì	10	suitable, appropriate, fitting
从	cóng	4	to follow or comply

Example Sentence with 无所适从

面对老板和经理不同的指示，小李感到无所适从

Facing different instructions from his boss and manager, Xiao Li felt at a loss as to what to do.

Origin and Story of 无所适从

Duke Xian of Jin ordered Grand Master Shi to build cities in Puchi and Qu respectively for Princes Chong'er and Yi'wu.

Yi'wu thought the cities were poorly built, so he complained to Duke Xian.

Duke Xian asked Shi why he didn't build them diligently. Shi replied that having too many masters made him at a loss as to what to follow.

Duke Xian thought this made sense, so he forced Crown Prince Shensheng to commit suicide and drove Chong'er to the State of Di.

Idioms Related to 无所适从

Synonyms of 无所适从

Antonyms of 无所适从

zé择shàn善ér而cóng从follow good examples

More idioms starting with 无

Questions about 无所适从

What does 无所适从 mean?: 无所适从 (wú suǒ shì cóng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be at a loss as to what to do or how to act”.
How do you pronounce 无所适从?: 无所适从 is pronounced wú suǒ shì cóng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 无所适从 literally mean?: Literally, 无所适从 means “nowhere to go or follow”. It is used to mean “to be at a loss as to what to do or how to act”.
Where does 无所适从 come from?: 无所适从 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 无所适从?: 适：归向；从：跟从。不知听从哪一个好。指不知怎么办才好。

Copy the pinyin for 无所适从 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.