‘走失’ is a compound verb meaning ‘to get lost’, typically referring to people—especially children—or pets who become separated from their caregivers or owners and cannot find their way back. The character 走 (zǒu) means ‘to walk’ or ‘to go’, suggesting movement away; 失 (shī) means ‘to lose’ or ‘to miss’, indicating the loss of connection, location, or safety. Together, they convey the idea of unintentionally wandering off and becoming untraceable.

This word carries a tone of concern and urgency—it’s commonly used in missing-person notices, news reports, public announcements, and everyday warnings (e.g., telling a child not to wander off). Unlike generic terms like 迷路 (mí lù, ‘to get lost’), which focuses on spatial disorientation, 走失 emphasizes the relational consequence: someone is missing *from* a person or place of safety. It is not used for inanimate objects or abstract concepts.