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惊天动地 (jīng tiān dòng dì) — world-shaking, earth-shattering (idiom); describes something extremely significant or shocking

Definition

An idiom for events that 'shake heaven and earth' — extreme in impact or shock. Compared to 翻天覆地 (which emphasizes transformation) and 惊心动魄 (which emphasizes emotional intensity), 惊天动地 focuses on scale and significance.

phrase
world-shakingearth-shattering (idiom)describes something extremely significant or shocking

Examples

  • 惊天动地。
    Tā nián qīng shí zuò guò yí jiàn jīng tiān dòng dì de dà shì.
    When he was young, he did something earth-shattering.
  • 惊天动地，。
    Zhè chǎng gé mìng suī rán bú suàn jīng tiān dòng dì, què gǎi biàn le wú shù rén de mìng yùn.
    Although this revolution wasn't exactly world-shaking, it changed the fate of countless people.
  • 惊天动地，。
    Bié zhǐ wàng měi gè xiàng mù dōu jīng tiān dòng dì, jiǎo tà shí dì gèng zhòng yào.
    Don't expect every project to be earth-shattering; being down-to-earth is more important.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

惊天shake heaven
惊jīngshock天tiānheaven
动宾Verb + object
动地shake earth
动dòngstir地dìearth
动宾Verb + object

惊 and 动 describe shocking and shaking, while 天 and 地 show the impact reaching heaven and earth.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

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 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set Phrases

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