震耳欲聋 (zhèn ěr yù lóng) — deafening; earsplitting | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vivid 成语 meaning 'deafening' — a sound so loud it seems to shatter the eardrums. Used as an adjective before a noun or on its own.

idiom

deafeningearsplitting

Examples

震耳欲聋，。
Yǎn chàng huì xiàn chǎng de huān hū shēng zhèn ěr yù lóng, wǒ jī hū tīng bú jiàn páng biān de rén shuō huà.
The cheers at the concert were deafening; I could barely hear the person next to me.
震耳欲聋。
Gōng chǎng lǐ jī qì fā chū de zhèn ěr yù lóng zào yīn ràng gōng rén men bù dé bú dài shàng ěr sāi.
The deafening noise from the machines in the factory forced the workers to wear earplugs.
震耳欲聋，。
Léi shēng zhèn ěr yù lóng, xià dé hái zi zhí wǎng mā ma huái lǐ zuàn.
The thunder was earsplitting, scaring the child into burrowing into his mother's arms.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

震耳shake the ears

震zhènshake耳ěrear

动宾Verb + object

欲聋almost deaf

欲yùabout to聋lóngdeaf

偏正Modifier + head

震耳 shakes the ears, while 欲聋 means they are almost deaf.

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.

雨辰震

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

辰

辰chén震zhèn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

震 combines 雨 (rain) with 辰 (chén), which gives the sound; 雨 is the part associated with the character’s meaning.

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

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

谷欠欲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

谷

谷gǔ欲yù

Same sound today

欲 is made of 谷, which supplies the sound, and 欠, which relates to the meaning.

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 聾; 聋 is its simplified writing.

龍耳聾

Meaning part形符xíngfú

耳耳ěrear

Sound part声符shēngfú

龍

龍lóng聾lóng

Same sound today

The traditional form 聾 pairs 耳 (ear) with 龍 (lóng) as the sound part.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Senses

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