惊心动魄

驚心動魄

jīngxīn-dòngpò

idiom HSK 7 #26,499

Meanings

1 breathtaking; soul-stirring
2 thrilling and terrifying

Characters

to startle; to shock

to move; to stir

Literally 'startles the heart, shakes the soul' — so intense it reaches the deepest part of your being.

Examples

那场比赛真是惊心动魄。

Nà chǎng bǐsài zhēnshi jīngxīn-dòngpò.

That game was truly breathtaking.

他经历了一次惊心动魄的冒险。

Tā jīnglì le yí cì jīngxīn-dòngpò de màoxiǎn.

He went through a thrilling adventure.

Tips

culture

In Chinese philosophy, 魄 (pò) is the corporeal soul that stays with the body, while 魂 (hún) is the ethereal soul that can wander. 惊心动魄 literally shakes the very soul anchored in your body — the strongest possible physical reaction.

Stroke Order

惊 jīng

心 xīn

动 dòng

魄 pò