惊骇 (jīng hài) — (literary) to be shocked, horrified, panic-stricken

Definition

A literary adjective for being horrified or panic-stricken — stronger than 惊讶 ('surprised') and far more formal/written than 害怕 ('afraid'). Common in writing rather than speech.

adjective
(literary) to be shockedhorrifiedpanic-stricken

Examples

  • 惊骇，。
    Tā jīng hài dé liǎn sè fā bái, yí jù huà yě shuō bù chū lái.
    He was so horrified that his face turned white and he couldn't say a word.
  • 惊骇。
    Zài chǎng de suǒ yǒu rén dōu bèi zhè tū rú qí lái de xiāo xi jīng hài le.
    Everyone present was panicked by this sudden news.
  • 惊骇，。
    Tā jīng hài dì fā xiàn mén shì kāi zhe de, wū lǐ què méi yǒu rén.
    She was horrified to find the door open but no one inside the room.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

惊jīngshock
骇hàifright

惊 and 骇 both convey shock and fear, making a panic-stricken state.

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
京
京jīng惊jīng
Same sound today

惊 is made from 忄 (heart) and 京, which gives the sound.

Open 惊 →

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 駭; 骇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài駭hài
Same sound today

The traditional form 駭 pairs 馬 (horse) with 亥 as a sound part; 骇 is the simplified form.

Open 骇 →

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