每天成语
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惊心动魄

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: jīng xīn dòng pò
  • English Translation: Soul-stirring / Heart-pounding (thrilling)
  • Idiom Composition: 「惊」（To startle, shock, or alarm）＋「心」（The heart or mind）＋「动」（To move, shake, or stir）＋「魄」（The soul or spirit (specifically the 'po' soul associated with the body)）
  • Meaning: Literally meaning "to startle the heart and shake the soul," this idiom describes a situation, event, or work of art that is extremely intense, thrilling, or shocking, leaving a profound psychological impact on the observer.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「惊心动魄」 contains the following nuances:

  • Extreme Tension and Thrills: This is the most common usage, referring to situations like action scenes in movies or close sports matches that make the audience hold their breath.
  • Deep Emotional Impact: It describes how works of art or grand natural landscapes can appeal deeply to a person's inner self, exerting a powerful influence that makes the soul tremble.
  • Fear and Danger: It is also used when looking back at dangerous past experiences or terrifying sights, emphasizing how great the shock was at that time.

3. Usage

「惊心动魄」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Entertainment and Sports: Used to describe movies, novels, or match developments that are dramatic and keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
    • Example:「那场决赛打得惊心动魄，直到最后一秒才分出胜负。」
      （The final match was heart-pounding, with the winner undecided until the very last second.)
  • Dangerous Experiences or Recollections: Used when reflecting on accidents, disasters, or adventures where one felt their life was in danger.
    • Example:「回想起那次在悬崖边的经历，真是让人惊心动魄。」
      （Recalling that experience on the edge of the cliff is truly hair-raising.)
  • Historical or Social Events: Used to characterize turbulent events like wars or political struggles that had a massive impact on society.
    • Example:「这部纪录片真实还原了那段惊心动魄的历史。」
      （This documentary realistically recreates that soul-stirring period of history.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 过山车俯冲的那一刻，简直是惊心动魄。
    （The moment the rollercoaster plunged was absolutely breathtaking.）
  2. 虽然过程惊心动魄，但好在最后大家都平安无事。
    （Although the process was nerve-wracking, fortunately, everyone ended up safe.）
  3. 大自然的鬼斧神工往往令人感到惊心动魄。
    （The uncanny workmanship of nature often leaves people feeling deeply moved.）
  4. 这是一场惊心动魄的博弈，稍有不慎就会满盘皆输。
    （This is a thrilling gamble where a single mistake could lead to total defeat.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Evolution of Meaning: The idiom originally appeared in The Gradings of Poetry (诗品) by Zhong Rong (钟嵘) during the Liang Dynasty, where it was used to describe how excellent poetry deeply moves the reader. In modern times, its use has expanded beyond literary appreciation to include physical danger and suspenseful 'thrills.'
  • Usage Context: It is used in both written and spoken language. In daily conversation, it is preferred when one wants to express simple emotions like 'scary' or 'amazing' in a more dramatic and impactful way.
  • Nuance Comparison: Unlike 触目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn), which specifically refers to a visual shock or a negative, gruesome sight, 惊心动魄 (jīng xīn dòng pò) can be used for positive excitement and grand, stirring experiences.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 惊心动魄 (jīng xīn dòng pò) is a powerful expression used to describe experiences so intense they seem to make the heart stop or the soul tremble. Whether it is a "nail-biting" sports finale, a "hair-raising" narrow escape from danger, or a "breathtaking" natural wonder, this phrase emphasizes the deep emotional or psychological resonance of the moment. It goes beyond simple surprise, capturing a sense of high drama and visceral impact.

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

Idiom Essay

jīng xīn dòng pò
惊心动魄
Thrilling and Soul-Stirring
shēng huó生活zhōng中，yǒu有yī xiē一些shí kè时刻，shì是méi fǎ没法píng jìng平静dù guò度过de的。

In life, there are some moments that cannot be experienced calmly.

shì zhe试着huí xiǎng回想yī xià一下zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉：yě xǔ也许shì是zài在diàn yǐng yuàn电影院lǐ里，kàn dào看到zhǔ jué主角zài在xuán yá悬崖biān边shàng上，chà yì diǎn差一点jiù yào就要diào掉xià qù下去；yě xǔ也许shì是zuò坐guò shān chē过山车shí时，cóng从zuì gāo最高chù处xiàng xià向下fǔ chōng俯冲de的nà yī miǎo那一秒；yòu又huò zhě或者shì是kàn dào看到jù dà巨大de的pù bù瀑布cóng从gāo chù高处zá砸xià lái下来，shēng yīn声音dà大dé得ràng让nǐ你tīng bú jiàn听不见bié de别的。

Try to recall this feeling: perhaps in a cinema, watching the protagonist on the edge of a cliff, almost falling off; perhaps the second you dive down from the highest point on a roller coaster; or perhaps seeing a massive waterfall crashing down from a height, the sound so loud you can't hear anything else.

zài在zhè xiē这些shùn jiān瞬间，nǐ你de的xīn tiào心跳huì会tū rán突然jiā sù加速，hū xī呼吸huì会tíng zhù停住，zhěng gè整个rén人chǔ yú处于yī zhǒng一种jí dù极度jǐn zhāng紧张、shèn zhì甚至yǒu diǎn有点yīn wèi因为zhèn hàn震撼ér而fā dǒu发抖de的zhuàng tài状态。

In these moments, your heart rate suddenly accelerates, your breath catches, and your whole body is in a state of extreme tension, perhaps even trembling from the shock.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常yǒu有lì liàng力量de的chéng yǔ成语lái来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉，jiào叫“jīng xīn dòng pò惊心动魄”。

In Chinese, there is a very powerful idiom to describe this feeling, called 惊心动魄.

zhè ge这个cí词de的zì miàn字面yì si意思fēi cháng非常shēng dòng生动。

The literal meaning of this word is very vivid.

“jīng xīn惊心”，shì是ràng让xīn zàng心脏gǎn dào感到zhèn jīng震惊；ér而“dòng pò动魄”，shì是shuō说lián连rén人de的hún pò魂魄hé和jīng shén精神dōu都bèi被hàn dòng撼动le了。

惊心 means making the heart feel shocked, while 动魄 means that even a person's soul and spirit are shaken.

tā它bú shì不是zài在shuō说pǔ tōng普通de的jīng yà惊讶，yě也bú shì不是xiǎo xiǎo小小de的jǐn zhāng紧张，ér shì而是yī zhǒng一种jù dà巨大de的、zhí jī直击nèi xīn内心de的chōng jī lì冲击力。

It is not talking about ordinary surprise, nor a little tension, but a huge impact that hits the heart directly.

wǒ men我们cháng yòng常用“jīng xīn dòng pò惊心动魄”lái来xíng róng形容nà xiē那些hóng dà宏大de的、wēi xiǎn危险de的，huò zhě或者jìng zhēng竞争jī liè激烈de的chǎng miàn场面。

We often use 惊心动魄 to describe those grand, dangerous, or fiercely competitive scenes.

yī cháng一场nì zhuǎn逆转de的bǐ sài比赛shì是jīng xīn dòng pò惊心动魄de的，yī duàn一段jīng xiǎn惊险de的lǚ chéng旅程yě也shì是jīng xīn dòng pò惊心动魄de的。

A comeback game is 惊心动魄, and a perilous journey is also 惊心动魄.

yǒu qù有趣de的shì是，zhè ge这个cí词zuì最zǎo早zài在gǔ dài古代chū xiàn出现shí时，qí shí其实shì是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容yī shǒu一首shī诗xiě写dé得tài太hǎo好，ràng让rén人shēn shòu深受gǎn dòng感动。

Interestingly, when this word first appeared in ancient times, it was actually used to describe a poem written so well that it deeply moved people.

suī rán虽然xiàn zài现在wǒ men我们gèng更duō yòng多用tā它lái来xíng róng形容“jīng xiǎn惊险”hé和“cì jī刺激”，dàn但hé xīn核心luó jí逻辑bìng并méi yǒu没有biàn变：tā它bì xū必须shì是yī zhǒng一种zú gòu足够qiáng dà强大de的lì liàng力量，qiáng强dào到néng能dǎ pò打破wǒ men我们nèi xīn内心de的píng jìng平静。

Although we now use it more to describe being thrilling and exciting, the core logic has not changed: it must be a force strong enough to break our inner peace.

píng dàn平淡de的rì zi日子guò过jiǔ久le了，rén人yǒu shí hòu有时候qí shí其实shì是xū yào需要yì diǎn一点“jīng xīn dòng pò惊心动魄”de的。

After living through many dull days, people sometimes actually need a bit of 惊心动魄.

yīn wèi因为tā它xiàng像shì是yí gè一个qiáng liè强烈de的xìn hào信号，zài在tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：jiù就zài在zhè这yī kè一刻，wǒ我de的gǎn guān感官shì是wán quán完全dǎ kāi打开de的，wǒ我zhèng zài正在jí qí极其zhēn shí真实dì地gǎn shòu感受zhe着zhè ge这个shì jiè世界。

Because it is like a strong signal, reminding us: at this very moment, my senses are fully open, and I am experiencing this world extremely authentically.

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