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触目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn) — so shocking that the sight alone horrifies; a ghastly scene

Definition

A chengyu for scenes or images so horrifying that the sight alone shocks the viewer. Unlike 骇人听闻 (focused on news/stories) or 惊心动魄 (thrilling/exciting), this phrase stresses a visual scene that is deeply disturbing.

phrase
so shocking that the sight alone horrifiesa ghastly scene

Examples

  • 触目惊心。
    Zhàn zhēng de zhào piàn zhēn shì chù mù jīng xīn.
    The war photos are truly shocking.
  • 触目惊心。
    Tā jiǎng shù le nà duàn chù mù jīng xīn de jīng lì.
    He recounted that harrowing experience.
  • ，触目惊心。
    Kàn dào zhè xiē pín qióng de huà miàn, lìng rén chù mù jīng xīn.
    Seeing these images of poverty is shocking.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

触目strike the eye
触chùstrike目mùeye
动宾Verb + object
惊心startle the heart
惊jīngstartle心xīnheart
动宾Verb + object

触目 and 惊心 describe a sight that strikes the eye and a feeling that startles the heart, together meaning shocking to see.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 觸; 触 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
角角jiǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ觸chù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 觸 uses 角 for the meaning and 蜀 for the sound; the simplified 触 is a later shorthand.

Open 触 →

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

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.

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

Open 心 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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