惊奇

• Pinyin: jīng qí
• Hanzi breakdown: 惊 = startled, surprised; 奇 = strange, wonderful, amazing

Meaning

Surprised; amazed; astonished. A feeling of wonder at something unexpected.

Describes the feeling of encountering something surprising or wondrous. More positive than 惊讶 and often implies wonder or curiosity. Common in descriptions of discoveries, reactions to magic or illusions, or encountering the unusual.

Examples

1. 孩子们惊奇地看着魔术师把兔子变出来。 The children watched in amazement as the magician produced a rabbit.
2. 她惊奇地发现这个偏远小镇竟然有这么好的咖啡馆。 She was surprised to find such a good coffee shop in this remote little town.
3. 让我惊奇的是，他居然一口气完成了马拉松。 What amazed me was that he actually completed the marathon in one go.

Usage Guide

Context: wonder, discovery, reactions

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 令人惊奇。(Amazing.)
• 惊奇地发现。(Discovered to one's amazement.)

Don't Say

• 惊奇坏消息 (Don't use 惊奇 for reactions to bad news — it implies positive wonder; use 震惊 or 惊讶 for negative surprises)

Origin & History

Composed of 惊 (startled; surprised) + 奇 (strange; wondrous). Together meaning surprised at something strange or wonderful.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal