大吃一惊

• Pinyin: dà chī yī jīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 = greatly; 吃 = to eat/experience; 一 = one; 惊 = fright, surprise

Meaning

To be greatly surprised; to be shocked; to be taken aback. An idiom describing a strong reaction of surprise.

Emphasizes the sudden and significant nature of the surprise. Used when something completely unexpected happens, whether positive or negative. More dramatic than simple 惊讶.

Examples

1. 听到他辞职的消息，所有同事都大吃一惊。 When they heard the news of his resignation, all his colleagues were shocked.
2. 打开门一看，屋里站满了人，她大吃一惊，原来大家在给她过生日。 When she opened the door and saw the room full of people, she was shocked — turns out everyone was throwing her a birthday party.
3. 季度报告的数据让老板大吃一惊，销售额比预期高了三倍。 The quarterly report figures shocked the boss — sales were three times higher than expected.

Usage Guide

Context: reaction, surprise

Tone: expressive

Do Say

• 这个结果让我大吃一惊。(This result really shocked me.)
• 他的变化让所有人大吃一惊。(His transformation surprised everyone.)

Don't Say

• 我大吃一惊了那个蛋糕 (大吃一惊 describes a reaction, not an action on something — don't use it transitively)

Origin & History

Idiom formed from 大吃 (greatly experience) + 一惊 (a shock). The phrase vividly expresses being struck by surprise.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal