1.
lost child
A child who has become separated from their parents or guardians.
迷子になった。
I got lost.
子供が迷子になった。
The child got lost.
迷子の子供を交番に連れて行った。
I took the lost child to the police box.
お祭りで人が多くて、子供が迷子になりやすい。
It's easy for children to get lost at festivals because of the crowds.
「迷子のお知らせです」と店内のアナウンスが流れた。
A store announcement came on: 'We have a lost child announcement.'
Common announcement in Japanese stores
2.
lost person, someone who is lost
By extension, anyone who has lost their way (often used playfully for adults).
駅で迷子になった。
I got lost at the station.
初めての町で迷子になった。
I got lost in a town I was visiting for the first time.
大きなビルの中で迷子になってしまった。
I got lost inside the large building.
地図を見ていたのに迷子になるなんて、恥ずかしい。
It's embarrassing to get lost even though I was looking at a map.
Playful adult usage
大人になっても、知らない場所では迷子になることがある。
Even as an adult, you can get lost in unfamiliar places.
While literally referring to children, often used humorously for adults who are lost.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 迷子になる (to get lost)
- 迷子センター (lost child center)
- 迷子のお知らせ (lost child announcement)
- 迷子札 (lost child tag - worn by children at events)
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- 道に迷う (to lose one's way)
- はぐれる (to get separated from a group)
NOTE:
The kanji 迷 means "to be lost/confused" and 子 means "child."