受惊

• Pinyin: shòu jīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 受 = 爪 + 冖 + 又 (to receive/bear); 惊 = 忄 + 京 (heart radical + capital/high — heart leaping; to be startled)

Meaning

To be startled; to get a fright; to be frightened by a sudden stimulus.

Describes an involuntary fear response triggered by an unexpected stimulus — a sudden noise, movement, or news. Can apply to people, animals, and infants. The cause is typically unexpected rather than anticipated. More acute and momentary than 恐惧 (fear — a sustained emotional state) and more involuntary than 害怕 (to be afraid — more general). Key collocations: 受惊吓 (to be startled/frightened — emphatic); 受惊的动物 (a startled animal); 容易受惊 (easily startled).

Examples

1. 马群在雷暴天很容易受惊，牧场主会提前把它们转入厩舍，尽量减少陌生刺激。 Horses are easily startled in thunderstorms, so the rancher moves them into the stable in advance and tries to reduce unfamiliar stimuli.
2. 这名在车祸现场受惊的目击者陈述混乱，专家认为这是急性应激反应，建议暂缓取证。 The witness, startled at the car crash scene, gave a confused account. Experts believed it was an acute stress reaction and advised delaying formal testimony.
3. 幼儿在陌生环境中受惊时会哭闹并紧紧依附照护者，及时安慰有助于建立安全型依恋。 When young children are startled in an unfamiliar environment, they cry and cling tightly to their caregivers, and timely comfort helps build secure attachment.

Usage Guide

Context: animal behaviour, psychology, accidents, child development

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 野生动物拍摄中一旦受惊，常会出现剧烈应激，摄影师必须严格遵守不干扰原则。(If a wild animal is startled during filming, it can react with intense stress, so the photographer must strictly follow the no-disturbance principle.)
• 在新生儿重症监护中，减少让早产儿受惊的声光刺激，是神经保护护理的核心。(In neonatal intensive care, reducing sound and light stimuli that startle premature infants is a core part of neuroprotective nursing.)

Don't Say

• 受惊 for prolonged or chronic fear — use 恐惧 (fear — a sustained emotional state) or 焦虑 (anxiety — ongoing worry); 受惊 specifically refers to the acute, involuntary startle response to a sudden unexpected stimulus

Origin & History

受 (to experience; to be subjected to) + 惊 (shock; fright; to startle — 马 horse + 敬 to respect, originally depicting a horse startled into alertness)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal