怦然心动 (pēng rán xīn dòng) — to be deeply moved (especially by love or beauty); to have one's heart flutter

Definition

A literary idiom for a sudden flutter of the heart — feeling struck or captivated, often at first sight of a person, scene, or moment.

idiom
to be deeply moved (especially by love or beauty)to have one's heart flutter

Examples

  • ，怦然心动。
    Dì yī cì jiàn dào tā, wǒ jiù pēng rán xīn dòng le.
    The first time I saw her, my heart fluttered.
  • 怦然心动。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ de nà ge chǎng jǐng ràng wǒ pēng rán xīn dòng.
    That scene in the movie made my heart skip a beat.
  • 怦然心动。
    Tā tán gāng qín de yàng zi lìng rén pēng rán xīn dòng.
    The way he plays the piano is breathtaking.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
平
平píng怦pēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怦 is built from 心 (heart) and 平, with 心 marking the heart and 平 providing the sound.

Open 怦 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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