失去 (shī qù) is a compound verb meaning 'to lose'—especially something valuable, irreplaceable, or emotionally significant, such as health, a loved one, opportunity, or trust. The first character 失 (shī) means 'to lose' or 'to miss', carrying connotations of misfortune or failure; the second character 去 (qù) means 'to go away' or 'to depart', reinforcing the sense of permanent absence. Together, they emphasize irreversible loss—not just physical misplacement (like losing keys), but deeper, often painful, dispossession.

This word is commonly used in formal writing, news reports, literature, and serious conversation. It frequently appears with abstract nouns (e.g., 失去信心 'lose confidence', 失去耐心 'lose patience') or concrete but emotionally charged nouns (e.g., 失去亲人 'lose a family member'). Unlike the more neutral 丢 (diū), which refers to accidental physical loss, 失去 implies gravity, consequence, and emotional weight.