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March 24, 2026
失踪(失蹤)shīzōng(shi1zong1)
失踪 refers to the state of being unaccounted for, often used to describe individuals who have gone missing under mysterious or concerning circumstances. It is commonly used in news reports, police reports, or discussions about safety and security.
Frequency#989DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the issue of missing persons can evoke serious concern and community action, often leading to public appeals for help or awareness campaigns, especially in cases involving children or vulnerable individuals.
Memory Tip
Think of 失 ('to lose') and 躺 ('to lie down'), combining to suggest something that has lost its place or presence, as if lying down and no longer visible. The pronunciation 'shi1 zong1' can be remembered by imagining a 'sheep' (shi) that has 'zoned out' and disappeared from sight.
Meanings of 失踪
shīzōng(shi1zong1)
1to be missing
2to disappear
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 失踪
失踪Simplified
失蹤Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#989Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 失踪
Podcast: 失踪
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AI Study Notes for 失踪
Quick Contrast
失联 (shīlián) — use 失踪 when emphasizing the mysterious or concerning nature of someone's disappearance, while 失联 is more neutral, often used in contexts like communication loss.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 失 ('to lose') and 躺 ('to lie down'), combining to suggest something that has lost its place or presence, as if lying down and no longer visible. The pronunciation 'shi1 zong1' can be remembered by imagining a 'sheep' (shi) that has 'zoned out' and disappeared from sight.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 失踪 with 失去 (to lose), but 失踪 specifically refers to someone missing rather than something lost. This term is generally used in formal contexts, such as law enforcement or media, rather than casual conversation.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 失踪 connects with other vocabulary about safety, crime, and emergencies. Students should focus on its usage in formal contexts and practice forming sentences about missing persons or items.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the issue of missing persons can evoke serious concern and community action, often leading to public appeals for help or awareness campaigns, especially in cases involving children or vulnerable individuals.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use 失踪 to describe lost items, which is incorrect. For instance, saying '我的书失踪了' (My book is missing) should instead be '我的书不见了' (My book is gone).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 失踪
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Grammar Patterns of 失踪
失踪 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
她自称是____的女继承人这件事从一开始就存在很多疑点.
From the start, doubts surrounded her claim to be the missing heiress.
Example Sentences for 失踪 (7)
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1
她自称是失踪的女继承人这件事从一开始就存在很多疑点.
tā zì chēng shì shī zōng de nǚ jì chéng rén zhè jiàn shì cóng yī kāi shǐ jiù cún zài hěn duō yí diǎn.
From the start, doubts surrounded her claim to be the missing heiress.
Edward disappeared around 30pm on the 23rd of July.
3
他开始再现1988年12月21日的103次航班失踪事件。
tā kāi shǐ zài xiàn1988 198812 nián21 12 yuè103 21 rì de 103 cì háng bān。
He began to reconstruct the events of 21 December 1988, when flight 103 disappeared.
4
各家报纸都刊登了有关埃迪·多纳根神秘失踪的猜测性报道。
gè jiā bào zhǐ dū kān dēng le yǒu guān āi dí· · duō nà gēn shén mì shī zōng de cāi cè xìng bào。
The papers ran speculative stories about the mysterious disappearance of Eddie Donagan.
5
他的失踪给家庭蒙上了一层阴影.
tā de shī zōng gěi jiā tíng mēng shàng le yī céng yīn yǐng.
His disappearance overshadowed the family.
6
你认为秋玲失踪的事和这案子有关?
nǐ rèn wéi qiū líng shī zōng de shì hé zhè àn zǐ yǒu guān?
So you think Carina's case is related to this case?
7
两星期后他们放弃了搜救那名失踪的小孩.
liǎng xīng qī hòu tā mén fàng qì le sōu jiù nà míng shī zōng de xiǎo hái.
The searching for the missing child was abandoned after two weeks.
Cultural Notes for 失踪
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the issue of missing persons can evoke serious concern and community action, often leading to public appeals for help or awareness campaigns, especially in cases involving children or vulnerable individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions about 失踪
You can say: '他失踪了', meaning 'He has gone missing.'
It's more common in formal contexts, like news or police reports, rather than casual chats.
No, 失踪 is specifically for people and cannot be used for objects.
