骇人听闻

• Pinyin: hài rén tīng wén
• Hanzi breakdown: 骇 = 马 (horse) + 亥 (startled) — a startled horse, to frighten; 人 = person; 听 = 口 + 斤 = hearing; 闻 = 耳 (ear) + 门 (gate) — to hear news

Meaning

Appalling; shocking beyond belief — so horrifying that it is hard to accept as true.

A four-character idiom (成语) used for atrocities, scandals, or disasters that inspire deep moral shock. Stronger than 令人震惊 and carries an element of disbelief. Frequently appears in journalism, legal proceedings, and historical accounts of crimes or disasters.

Examples

1. 法庭上披露的种种骇人听闻的证据，令在场所有旁听者不寒而栗。 The appalling evidence revealed in court sent a chill through every spectator present.
2. 这起涉及多名未成年人的骇人听闻的拐卖案件，引发了全社会对儿童安全保护问题的深刻反思。 This shocking child-trafficking case involving multiple minors has prompted deep reflection across society on protecting children’s safety.
3. 历史课本对那段骇人听闻的战争暴行进行了详尽记录，以警示后人不忘历史教训。 History textbooks document those horrifying wartime atrocities in detail as a warning to future generations not to forget the lessons of history.

Usage Guide

Context: journalism, law, history, social commentary

Tone: indignant

Do Say

• 检察官在起诉书中详细列举了被告实施的一系列骇人听闻的罪行，要求法院依法予以严惩。(The prosecutor detailed in the indictment a series of appalling crimes committed by the defendant, demanding that the court impose severe punishment in accordance with the law.)
• 这起骇人听闻的食品安全丑闻曝光后，监管部门立即展开全面调查，并对涉事企业实施了停业整顿。(After this appalling food safety scandal came to light, regulators immediately launched a comprehensive investigation and ordered the implicated company to suspend operations for rectification.)

Don't Say

• 用骇人听闻描述轻微的不快 — 骇人听闻 is reserved for genuinely shocking moral atrocities; for mild disappointments use 令人遗憾 or 令人不满

Origin & History

骇 (terrify, shock) + 人 (people) + 听 (hear) + 闻 (news) — so shocking it terrifies all who hear of it

Cultural Context

Era: Classical → Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal