迷路 (mí lù) literally combines 迷 (mí), meaning 'to be confused' or 'to lose one’s sense of direction', and 路 (lù), meaning 'road' or 'path'. Together, they form a verb meaning 'to lose one’s way' — that is, to become unable to find the correct route to a destination, often due to unfamiliar surroundings, poor signage, or distraction. It describes a temporary state of spatial disorientation, not permanent confusion.

This word is commonly used in everyday contexts: asking for directions, recounting travel mishaps, or describing children or pets wandering off. While it can apply to physical navigation (e.g., in forests or cities), it’s rarely used metaphorically (unlike English ‘lose one’s way’ in life). It’s neutral in register — appropriate in both spoken and written Chinese — and typically appears with subjects like people, animals, or vehicles, often followed by location phrases (e.g., 在…迷路) or result complements (e.g., 迷路了).