有惊无险 (yǒu jīng wú xiǎn) — a close call, a scare without injury; threatening but not dangerous

Definition

A set phrase for a scary situation that turns out safe — 'a close call' with no real harm done.

idiom
a close calla scare without injurythreatening but not dangerous

Examples

  • 有惊无险，。
    Zhè cì chē huò zhēn shì yǒu jīng wú xiǎn, rén méi shì jiù hǎo.
    This car accident was really a close call — the important thing is nobody got hurt.
  • ，有惊无险，。
    Kǎo shì suī rán hěn nán, dàn zuì hòu yǒu jīng wú xiǎn, wǒ jí gé le.
    The exam was very hard, but in the end it was a scare without injury — I passed.
  • ，有惊无险，。
    Tā fā shāo hǎo jǐ tiān, jiǎn chá hòu yǒu jīng wú xiǎn, zhǐ shì pǔ tōng gǎn mào.
    He had a fever for several days, but after the checkup it was a false alarm — just a common cold.

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.

有惊have fright
有yǒuhave惊jīngfright
动宾Verb + object
无险no danger
无wúno险xiǎndanger
动宾Verb + object

It puts 有惊 (having fright) and 无险 (no danger) side by side.

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān險
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.

Open 险 →

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