Lost & Found in Chinese 丢东西
diū dōngxi
Lost and found in Chinese is 失物招领 (shī wù zhāo lǐng).
Also searched for as: lost property, I lost my, lost, lost and found office.
Left something behind? 15 essential lost & found words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The word for 'to lose' in Chinese is 丢 (diū), and the classic panicked sentence is 我的钱包丢了 (wǒ de qián bāo diū le), 'I've lost my wallet'. These words help you describe what's gone missing, ask at 失物招领 (shī wù zhāo lǐng), lost property, and explain if something was 被偷了 (bèi tōu le), stolen. You'll also meet 落 (là), the everyday verb for leaving something behind on a bus or in a taxi.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 丢 | diū | to lose |
| 找不到 | zhǎo bu dào | can't find |
| 落 | là | to leave behind |
| 失物招领 | shī wù zhāo lǐng | lost and found |
| 捡到 | jiǎn dào | to find (something someone dropped) |
| 还 | huán | to return (something) |
| 报警 | bào jǐng | to call the police |
| 被偷 | bèi tōu | to be stolen |
| 小偷 | xiǎo tōu | thief |
| 身份证 | shēn fèn zhèng | ID card |
| 补办 | bǔ bàn | to get a replacement |
| 联系 | lián xì | to contact |
| 着急 | zháo jí | anxious; worried |
| 最后一次 | zuì hòu yī cì | the last time |
| 终于找到了 | zhōng yú zhǎo dào le | found it at last |
Usage tips
- 落 (là) is a colloquial reading used for leaving something behind, usually in a 把 sentence: 我把手机落在出租车上了 (wǒ bǎ shǒu jī là zài chū zū chē shang le); in words like 降落 (jiàng luò) it's read luò.
- 还 means 'to return (something)' when read huán, as in 还给他 (huán gěi tā), but 'still' or 'also' when read hái.
- 补办 (bǔ bàn) is the standard word for getting a replacement for any lost card or document, such as 补办身份证 (bǔ bàn shēn fèn zhèng) or 补办护照 (bǔ bàn hù zhào).
Common mistakes
- Using 失去 (shī qù) for losing everyday objects → 失去 is for abstract or serious losses like a chance or a loved one; for keys or phones say 丢了 (diū le).
- Using 找到 and 捡到 interchangeably → 找到 (zhǎo dào) is finding something you were looking for, while 捡到 (jiǎn dào) is picking up something someone else dropped.
- Reading 着急 as zhe jí → in 着急 the first character is zháo: zháo jí.
Mini dialogue
- A你怎么了？看起来很着急。Nǐ zěn me le? Kàn qǐ lái hěn zháo jí.What's wrong? You look really worried.
- B我找不到我的手机了。Wǒ zhǎo bu dào wǒ de shǒu jī le.I can't find my phone.
- A别着急。你最后一次看到它是在哪儿？Bié zháo jí. Nǐ zuì hòu yī cì kàn dào tā shì zài nǎr?Don't panic. Where did you last see it?
- B可能落在出租车上了。Kě néng là zài chū zū chē shang le.I might have left it in the taxi.
- A那我们给出租车公司打个电话问问吧。Nà wǒ men gěi chū zū chē gōng sī dǎ ge diàn huà wèn wen ba.Let's ring the taxi company and ask, then.
Example sentences
- 我的钱包丢了。I've lost my wallet.
- 我找不到我的手机了。I can't find my phone.
- 我把包落在出租车上了。I left my bag in the taxi.
- 你可以去失物招领处问问。You can ask at lost property.
- 我捡到了一个钱包。I found a wallet.
- 我把钱包还给他了。I gave the wallet back to him.
- 丢了护照要报警。If you lose your passport, report it to the police.
- 我的自行车被偷了。My bike was stolen.
- 小心小偷！Watch out for pickpockets!
- 身份证丢了很麻烦。Losing your ID card is a pain.
- 我得去补办护照。I need to get a replacement passport.
- 捡到请联系我。If found, please contact me.
- 别着急，慢慢找。Don't panic, take your time looking.
- 你最后一次看到它是在哪儿？Where did you last see it?
- 终于找到了，太好了！Found it at last, brilliant!
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Lost & found speaking island has 8 everyday questions about lost & found to prepare your own answers to.