吃惊

• Pinyin: chī jīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 吃 = 口 (mouth) + 乞 (beg, phonetic); 惊 = 忄(heart) + 京 (capital, phonetic), meaning to startle

Meaning

To be surprised; to be shocked. A reaction to something unexpected.

Describes a feeling of surprise or shock, usually moderate in intensity. Can be used for both pleasant and unpleasant surprises. More vivid than 惊讶 in casual speech. Often used as a predicate or complement.

Examples

1. 看到他突然出现，我非常吃惊。 I was very surprised to see him suddenly appear.
2. 考试成绩让所有人都感到吃惊。 The exam results surprised everyone.
3. 她的变化太大了，我真的很吃惊。 She has changed so much that I was truly shocked.

Usage Guide

Context: emotional, everyday

Tone: expressive

Do Say

• 这个消息真让人吃惊。(This news is really surprising.)
• 他的进步让老师非常吃惊。(His progress greatly surprised the teacher.)

Don't Say

• 每天太阳升起来我很吃惊 (Don't use 吃惊 for routine, predictable events — it describes a reaction to the genuinely unexpected)

Origin & History

吃 here is used in an older sense meaning 'to receive' or 'to suffer'; 惊 means to be startled or alarmed. Together they mean to receive a fright or surprise.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal