觸目驚心 / 触目惊心
chùmù jīngxīn
The English word 'shocking' can be translated into Mandarin in several ways depending on the context. If unsure, use 觸目驚心 / 触目惊心 (chùmù jīngxīn). Wiktionary also lists 驚人的 / 惊人的 (jīngrén de) and 駭人的 / 骇人的 (hàirén de).
Meaning: inspiring shock, startling (adj)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 觸目驚心 / 触目惊心 | chùmù jīngxīn |
| 驚人的 / 惊人的 | jīngrén de |
| 駭人的 / 骇人的 | hàirén de |
| 令人震驚的 / 令人震惊的 | lìngrén zhènjīng de |
What does it mean word for word?
The idiom 觸目驚心 / 触目惊心 literally means 'one's eyes meet something that startles the heart'.
Which one should you use?
Use 驚人的 / 惊人的 when the shock is related to an impressive or extraordinary scale, such as 'shocking progress' or 'shocking speed'. Use 駭人的 / 骇人的 when the shock is specifically frightening, terrifying or gruesome. Use 令人震驚的 / 令人震惊的 for news, events or revelations that cause a sense of disbelief or profound shock.
How do you pronounce it?
chùmù jīngxīn
Did you know?
- The word 震驚 / zhènjīng uses the character 震, which is the same word used for an 'earthquake'. This suggests that a 'shocking' event feels like a physical tremor in the soul.
- If you use 駭人的 / 骇人的 to describe a sudden change in the economy, you might sound like you are describing a horror movie, as this term carries a much heavier sense of terror than the English 'shocking'.
- The idiom 觸目驚心 / 触目惊心 functions like a sensory trap: the first part describes the eyes hitting a scene and the second describes the heart jumping, creating a physical sensation of shock.
Examples in context
- 这个消息真是让人震惊!This news is truly shocking!
- 这部电影真的吓死人了!This movie is really shocking!
- 别人都差点儿被他的反应吓死了！Others were almost scared to death by his reaction!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shocking” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
