驚愕

• Reading: きょうがく
• Romaji: kyōgaku
• Kanji breakdown: 驚 (kyō) — surprise, amazement; 愕 (gaku) — astonishment, alarm
• Pronunciation: /kʲo.ː.ɡa.kɯ/

Meaning

Astonishment; shock; amazement. An overwhelming state of being stunned by something utterly unexpected.

A noun and suru-verb (驚愕する) expressing extreme shock, stronger than 驚き and closer to sheer stupefaction. Used in serious contexts such as news reports, literary narration, and formal accounts of disturbing events. The phrase 驚愕の表情 (an expression of astonishment) and 驚愕する (to be struck with astonishment) are typical collocations.

Examples

1. 突然の訃報に、一同は驚愕した。 Everyone was stunned by the sudden news of the passing.
2. 彼女は驚愕の表情で、その知らせを受け止めた。 She received the news with a look of utter astonishment on her face.
3. 目の前で起きた出来事に、驚愕して声が出なかった。 I was so shocked by what happened before my eyes that I couldn't make a sound.

Usage Guide

Context: journalism, literary writing, formal narration

Tone: dramatic

Origin & History

Composed of 驚 (kyō) meaning 'surprise' and 愕 (gaku) meaning 'astonishment' or 'alarm.' Both characters convey shock, making this compound doubly emphatic.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal