Expressions 迷子まいご になる get lost; become lost; go astray Kanji 迷 astray, be perplexed, in doubt 子 child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM 児 newborn babe, child, young of animals Related words 迷い子 means the same thing as 迷子 but sounds more literary and old-fashioned, while 迷子 is the standard modern term used in everyday speech and announcements.
迷子 is a casual, everyday word specifically for a lost child in a crowd, while 尋ね人 is a broader, more formal term for any sought-after person of any age.
Don't confuse with 迷子 refers to a child or person who has simply gotten lost and is usually found quickly, whereas 行方不明 describes a more serious, often prolonged or official, state of being missing.
捨て子 means a child deliberately abandoned by a guardian, whereas 迷子 means a child merely separated from a parent temporarily, such as lost in a crowd.
Word family child's ID tag; lost child tag
lost dog; missing dog
glacial erratic; erratic boulder
lost mail; undeliverable mail
lost child center; lost and found for children
Written forms 迷子まいご Usage 93%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and everyday use.
まいご Usage 7%
迷児まいご Usage <1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
Etymology Developed from 迷い子 “lost child,” with contraction of まよいご to まいご .
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