每天成语
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不寒而栗

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù hán ér lì
  • English Translation: Shivering without being cold (to make one's blood run cold)
  • Idiom Composition: 「不」（not）＋「寒」（cold）＋「而」（yet / but）＋「栗」（to shiver or tremble (in this context, synonymous with 慄)）
  • Meaning: To tremble or shudder not from the cold, but out of extreme fear, shock, or dread. It describes a visceral, physiological reaction to a terrifying sight, memory, or realization.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「不寒而栗」 contains the following nuances:

  • Psychological Dread: The idiom emphasizes that the shivering is caused by mental pressure, shock, or terror rather than physical temperature.
  • Physiological Reaction: It is used when fear is so intense that it manifests as a physical shudder, trembling, or goosebumps.

3. Usage

「不寒而栗」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Recalling Terrifying Events: Used to describe the lingering fear or trauma when remembering a past disaster or accident.
    • Example:「一想起那场可怕的车祸，我就不寒而栗。」
      （Whenever I think of that horrific car accident, I shudder with fear.)
  • Cruel or Harsh Situations: Used when witnessing brutal methods, oppressive power, or severe punishments.
    • Example:「看到这种残忍的手段，在场的人都感到不寒而栗。」
      （Seeing such a brutal method made everyone present feel a chill down their spine.)
  • Anxiety About the Future: Used when imagining a terrible outcome or the gravity of a potential disaster.
    • Example:「后果之严重，简直让人不寒而栗。」
      （The severity of the consequences is enough to make one's blood run cold.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 那种阴森的眼神让人看了不寒而栗。
    （That sinister look in his eyes made people shudder.）
  2. 听到这个消息，我不禁不寒而栗。
    （Hearing the news, I couldn't help but feel a chill of terror.）
  3. 这部恐怖电影的情节让人不寒而栗。
    （The plot of this horror movie makes people tremble with fear.）
  4. 只要想到可能发生的后果，我就不寒而栗。
    （Just thinking about the possible consequences makes me shiver.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • This idiom originates from the Records of the Grand Historian (史记), specifically the 'Biographies of Harsh Officials' (酷吏列传). During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (汉武帝), an official named Yi Zong (义纵) executed over 400 prisoners in a single day. Upon hearing of his extreme severity, the people of the prefecture were said to have 'shivered without being cold.'
  • Orthography Note: The character 栗 (lì) means 'to shiver' in this context, but it is also the common character for 'chestnut.' It is frequently confused with the similar-looking character 粟 (sù), which means 'millet.' The correct form must use the 'chestnut' character: 不寒而栗 (bù hán ér lì).
  • Nuance: This expression is much stronger than the basic word for 'scared' (害怕 - hài pà); it implies a deep, visceral reaction of horror or dread.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 不寒而栗 (bù hán ér lì) vividly describes the sensation of 'shuddering with fear.' It is used when someone feels a chill down their spine or physically trembles due to a horrific scene or the anticipation of a dire outcome. It emphasizes a fear so deep that it manifests physically.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

bù hán ér lì
不寒而栗
Trembling Without Cold
wǒ men我们dōu都zhī dào知道，rén人wèi shén me为什么huì会fā dǒu发抖。

We all know why people shiver.

tōng cháng通常shì是yīn wèi因为dōng tiān冬天lái来le了，běi fēng北风zài在chuī吹，huò zhě或者shì是yī fú衣服chuān穿dé得tài太shǎo少le了。

Usually, it is because winter has arrived, the north wind is blowing, or we are wearing too few clothes.

zhè这shì是yī zhǒng一种shēn tǐ身体gǎn jué dào感觉到“lěng冷”de的zì rán自然fǎn yìng反应。

This is a natural physical reaction to feeling cold.

kě shì可是，yǒu shí hòu有时候míng míng明明tiān qì天气hěn很nuǎn huo暖和，shèn zhì甚至shì是zài在xià tiān夏天，wǒ men我们què却hái shì还是huì会tū rán突然dǎ打yí gè一个lěng zhàn冷战，kòng zhì控制bú zhù不住dì地fā dǒu发抖。

However, sometimes even when the weather is warm, or even in the middle of summer, we might suddenly shudder and shake uncontrollably.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种tè shū特殊de的shēng lǐ生理fǎn yìng反应，jiào叫“bù hán ér lì不寒而栗”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this special physiological reaction called 不寒而栗.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，tā它de的yì si意思fēi cháng非常zhí guān直观。

Literally, its meaning is very intuitive.

“bù hán不寒”，jiù shì shuō就是说bìng并bù不lěng冷；ér而“lì栗”，zài在zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语lǐ里，shì是fā dǒu发抖、duō suo哆嗦de的yì si意思。

不寒 means it is not cold, while 栗 in this idiom means to shiver or tremble.

lián连qǐ lái起来shuō说，jiù shì就是：míng míng明明bù不lěng冷，què却zài在fā dǒu发抖。

Put together, it means: shivering even though it is not cold.

zhè zhǒng这种dǒu dòng抖动，dāng rán当然bú shì不是yīn wèi因为wēn dù温度，ér shì而是yīn wèi因为kǒng jù恐惧。

This shaking, of course, is not due to temperature, but due to fear.

dàn但qǐng请zhù yì注意，tā它tōng cháng通常bú shì不是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容nà zhǒng那种tū rán突然bèi被xià yī tiào吓一跳de的jīng xià惊吓，bǐ rú比如yǒu rén有人zài在nǐ你bèi hòu背后dà hǎn大喊yī shēng一声。

But please note, it is usually not used to describe a sudden startle, like someone shouting behind you.

“bù hán ér lì不寒而栗”xíng róng形容de的，wǎng wǎng往往shì是yī zhǒng一种gèng更shēn céng深层de的、cóng从xīn lǐ心里màn màn慢慢mào chū lái冒出来de的hài pà害怕。

不寒而栗 often describes a deeper fear that slowly emerges from within the heart.

yě xǔ也许shì是nǐ你tīng dào听到le了yí gè一个cán kù残酷de的zhēn shí真实gù shì故事，suī rán虽然shì qíng事情méi yǒu没有fā shēng发生zài在nǐ你shēn shàng身上，dàn但zhǐ yào只要xiǎng想yī xiǎng一想hòu guǒ后果，jiù就jué de觉得kě pà可怕。

Perhaps you heard a cruel true story; although it did not happen to you, just thinking about the consequences makes you feel terrified.

yě xǔ也许shì是nǐ你tū rán突然fā xiàn发现，yí gè一个píng shí平时kàn qǐ lái看起来hěn很lǎo shí老实、hěn很shàn liáng善良de的rén人，jìng rán竟然yǒu zhe有着fēi cháng非常yīn àn阴暗de的yí miàn一面。

Perhaps you suddenly discover that a person who usually seems very honest and kind actually has a very dark side.

zài在nà那yī shùn jiān一瞬间，nǐ你huì会jué de觉得hòu bèi后背fā liáng发凉，hàn máo汗毛dōu都shù qǐ lái竖起来le了。

In that instant, you feel a chill down your spine and your hair stands on end.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们，shēn tǐ身体yǒu shí hòu有时候bǐ比dà nǎo大脑gèng更chéng shí诚实。

This idiom reminds us that the body is sometimes more honest than the brain.

zài在zuǐ bā嘴巴hái还méi yǒu没有shuō chū说出“wǒ我hài pà害怕”zhī qián之前，wǒ men我们de的shēn tǐ身体yǐ jīng已经xiān先zuò chū做出le了fǎn yìng反应。

Before the mouth can say "I am afraid," our body has already reacted.

suǒ yǐ所以，“bù hán ér lì不寒而栗”bù jǐn不仅shì是zài在shuō说kǒng jù恐惧，tā它gèng shì更是zài在miáo shù描述yī zhǒng一种jí dù极度de的、wú fǎ无法kòng zhì控制de的xīn lǐ心理chōng jī冲击。

Therefore, 不寒而栗 is not just about fear; it describes an extreme, uncontrollable psychological impact.

xià cì下次dāng当nǐ你gǎn jué dào感觉到zhè zhǒng这种“méi yǒu没有fēng风，què却jué de觉得lěng冷”de的shí kè时刻，nǐ你jiù就míng bái明白zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语de的zhēn zhèng真正zhòng liàng重量le了。

Next time you feel this moment of "no wind, yet feeling cold," you will understand the true weight of this idiom.

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