Definition
惊 is a verb meaning 'to startle' or 'to be startled'. It often appears in literary or formal contexts and is the core of common compound words like 吃惊 'to be surprised', 惊喜 'pleasant surprise', and 惊吓 'to frighten'. Unlike the more colloquial 吓 (xià), 惊 conveys a stronger or more sudden emotional reaction. It can also describe animals being spooked (e.g., 惊马 'spooked horse').
v.
to startleto alarm (someone)to be startledto be frightened(of animals) to be spookedto stampede
Examples
- 。Zhège xiāoxi jīng dòng le suǒyǒu rén.This news alarmed everyone.
- 惊，。Zhànmǎ jīng le, kuángbēn qǐlái.The war horse was spooked and bolted.
- 惊，。Tā méiyǒu bèi jīng dǎo, fǎn'ér gèng lěngjìng le.She wasn't frightened; instead she became calmer.
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