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触目惊心

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: chù mù jīng xīn
  • English Translation: A shocking sight (that strikes the heart)
  • Idiom Composition: 「触」（To touch or come into contact with (here, to meet the eye)）＋「目」（Eye or sight）＋「惊」（To shock, startle, or frighten）＋「心」（Heart or mind）
  • Meaning: To be deeply shocked or frightened by a sight that is tragic, cruel, or extremely serious. It emphasizes the visual impact of a negative situation.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「触目惊心」 contains the following nuances:

  • Visual Impact: As the phrase 触目 (chù mù) suggests, the shock is triggered by something actually seen. It is most suitable for situations with a strong visual impact rather than just hearing a rumor.
  • Severity of the Situation: It implies that the situation has deteriorated to an unavoidable or grave level, rather than just being a simple surprise.
  • Negative Emotions: This idiom is never used for positive awe or being moved by beauty. It is reserved for evoking negative feelings such as fear, horror, grief, or righteous indignation.

3. Usage

「触目惊心」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Disaster and Accident Scenes: The most common usage is to describe the gruesome or tragic aftermath of events like earthquakes, fires, or traffic accidents.
    • Example:「地震后的废墟景象令人触目惊心，到处是断壁残垣。」
      （The ruins after the earthquake were a shocking sight, with broken walls and debris everywhere.）
  • Social Issues and Statistics: It is used to emphasize that social deterioration, such as corruption or rising crime rates, has reached a critical level. In this case, it refers to the shock of facts or figures as well as physical sights.
    • Example:「这份报告揭露的贪污数额之巨大，简直让人触目惊心。」
      （The massive amount of embezzlement revealed in this report is truly shocking.）
  • Environmental Destruction: Often used to describe the devastating state of nature, such as deforestation or severe water pollution.
    • Example:「河水被严重污染变成了黑色，这触目惊心的画面引发了公众的愤怒。」
      （The river water was severely polluted and turned black; this appalling sight sparked public outrage.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 如果不采取措施，这种触目惊心的浪费现象还会继续下去。
    （If measures are not taken, this shocking phenomenon of waste will continue.）
  2. 看着由于战争而流离失所的难民，那种惨状真是触目惊心。
    （Looking at the refugees displaced by war, the tragedy is truly heart-wrenching.）
  3. 近年来，青少年犯罪率上升到了令人触目惊心的地步。
    （In recent years, the juvenile crime rate has risen to a frightening level.）
  4. 那场车祸现场血迹斑斑，实在让人触目惊心。
    （The scene of the car accident was blood-stained and truly too gruesome to look at.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Variation: It is sometimes written as 怵目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn). The character 怵 (chù) means 'to fear.' While the meaning is nearly identical, 触目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn) is the standard and more common form in modern Chinese.
  • Register: This is a formal expression frequently used in news reports, documentaries, and editorials. Using it for minor surprises in daily conversation would sound overly dramatic.
  • Emotional Direction: It is strictly used for 'bad' or 'tragic' things. For positive awe (e.g., a breathtaking landscape), one would use 叹为观止 (tàn wéi guān zhǐ) instead.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 触目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn) describes a scene so tragic or severe that it leaves a profound, shocking impact on the viewer. It is typically used for negative and grave events like disasters, accidents, environmental destruction, or serious social problems. It conveys more than just surprise; it highlights a level of devastation or seriousness that is hard to witness or ignore.

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