震惊
zhènjīng
In Chinese, the word for "shocked" is 震惊 (zhènjīng).
震惊 is used to describe being surprised, startled or confused. It is typically reserved for significant, impactful or serious news and events rather than minor daily surprises.
Meaning: surprised, startled, confused (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 震 (zhèn), meaning to shake or vibrate and 惊 (jīng), meaning to startle or frighten.
Which one should you use?
While 震惊 is used for significant events, you can use 惊讶 (jīngyà) for a formal sense of surprise and disbelief or 惊奇 (jīngqí) to convey astonishment or marveling at something extraordinary. For informal situations, if someone is so shocked or scared that they become temporarily stunned or frozen, use 吓呆了 (xià dāi le).
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the feeling of being shocked, it is common to use the verb 感到 (gǎndào), meaning "to feel", before 震惊.
How do you pronounce it?
zhènjīng
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, users often use the word 震惊 in clickbait headlines to mimic the exaggerated style of tabloid news.
- The character 震 in 震惊 also refers to the '震' trigram in the I Ching, which represents thunder and the sudden energy of a storm.
- In Chinese, the concept of being 'shocked' can sometimes be expressed through the eyes, such as using the phrase 目瞪口呆 to describe someone staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
Examples in context
- 我们都很震惊。We were all pretty shocked.This sentence shows how to express that a group of people felt shocked using 震惊.Tatoeba #9969241 by GlossaMatik, translation #5077337 by CK
- 这让我感到震惊！It shocked me!This sentence shows how to say that something caused a person to feel shocked using 震惊.Tatoeba #651174 by peipei, translation #7244637 by TracyPoff
- 911事件让世人震惊，全球所有的政治家都一致谴责恐怖分子的这一应受人斥责的行径。Shocked by the events of September 11th, politicians all over the world condemned the terrorists for their reprehensible deed.This sentence uses 震惊 to describe the reaction of the world to a major historical event.Tatoeba #348488 by zhouj1955, translation #1976 by AlanF_US
- 当他听到这个消息时，他感到非常惊讶。He was extremely shocked when he heard this news.
- 他看到她的反应时，感到非常吃惊。He was greatly shocked by her reaction.
- 孩子们看到那个神奇的魔术时，都感到非常惊奇。The children were all amazed by that magical trick.
- 这个发现让我彻底震惊。This discovery completely shocked me.
- 他听到那个超乎想象的消息时，吓呆了。He was so shocked upon hearing that unimaginable news that he became stunned.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a sudden piece of news.
- 伟 Wei你听到这个消息了吗？Nǐ tīng dào zhège xiāoxi le ma?Did you hear this news?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen听到了，我感到很震惊。Tīng dào le, wǒ gǎndào hěn zhènjīng.I heard, I am very shocked.
- 伟 Wei我也很震惊，完全没想到。Wǒ yě hěn zhènjīng, wánquán méi xiǎng dào.I am also shocked, I didn't expect it at all.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这真的太让人震惊了。Zhè zhēnde tài ràng rén zhènjīng le.This is truly shocking.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
