惊心动魄

驚心動魄

jīngxīn-dòngpò

idiom HSK 7-9 #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。

Nàchǎng bǐsài zhēnshi jīngxīndòngpò.

That game was truly breathtaking.

他经历了一次惊心动魄的冒险。

Tā jīnglì le yí cì jīngxīndòngpò 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