毛骨悚然

máogǔ-sǒngrán

idiom

Meanings

1 to have one's hair stand on end
2 blood-curdling; hair-raising
3 to feel a chill of terror

Characters

to shudder; fearful

(adverbial suffix)

Examples

HSK 6

听到这个消息，我不禁毛骨悚然。

Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ bùjīn máogǔsǒngrán.

On hearing the news, I couldn't help feeling a chill run down my spine.

HSK 7-9

这部恐怖片看得人毛骨悚然。

Zhèbù kǒngbùpiàn kàn de rén máogǔsǒngrán.

This horror film left viewers with their hair standing on end.

HSK 7-9

案发现场的细节让人毛骨悚然。

Ànfā xiànchǎng de xìjié ràng rén máogǔsǒngrán.

The details of the crime scene were blood-curdling.

Tips

history

From the Ming novel 《东周列国志》 by Feng Menglong: "秦王闻之，不觉毛骨悚然" - hearing it, the King of Qin shuddered in spite of himself. The literal image: body hair standing up (毛) and bones going cold (骨悚).

usage

Strongly evocative - use for genuine fear or revulsion, not mild unease. Common collocations: 听得 / 看得 / 想起…就 + 毛骨悚然.

Stroke Order

毛 máo

骨 gǔ

悚 sǒng

然 rán