触目惊心

觸目驚心
chùmù-jīngxīn
idiom HSK 7-9 #34,845

Meanings

  1. 1 shocking
  2. 2 horrifying to see
  3. 3 a ghastly sight

Examples

HSK 5
Huánjìng wūrǎn de shùjù chùmù-jīngxīn.
The environmental pollution data is shocking.
HSK 7-9
Chēhuò xiànchǎng de cǎnzhuàng chùmù-jīngxīn.
The devastation at the accident scene was horrifying to see.

Tips

memory
Literally 'touches the eye, startles the heart' - the sight is so terrible that merely seeing it sends a shock to your heart. Picture seeing something so awful your eyes and heart both react.

Stroke Order

chù
jīng
xīn