毛骨悚然

máogǔsǒngrán

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

听到这个消息，我不禁毛骨悚然。

Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ bùjīn máogǔsǒngrán.

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

这部恐怖片看得人毛骨悚然。

Zhè bù kǒngbù piàn kàn de rén máogǔsǒngrán.

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

案发现场的细节让人毛骨悚然。

Àn fā 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