失误 (shī wù) refers to a specific error or slip, often in performance, judgment, or a process — like a 'mistake' made unintentionally. It differs from the broader 错误 (cuò wù 'mistake, wrong'), which is more general and used for facts, answers, or moral judgments; 失误 is typically used for lapses in a task and can also be a verb ('to make a mistake').