What does 惊惶失措 mean?

惊惶失措 (jīng huáng shī cuò) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be panic-stricken and at a loss”.

How do you pronounce 惊惶失措?

惊惶失措 is pronounced jīng huáng shī cuò in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 惊惶失措 literally mean?

Literally, 惊惶失措 means “alarmed and losing composure”. It is used to mean “to be panic-stricken and at a loss”.

Where does 惊惶失措 come from?

惊惶失措 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 惊惶失措?

失措：失去常态。由于惊慌，一下子不知怎么办才好。

惊惶失措 — “To be panic-stricken and at a loss”

惊惶失措 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be panic-stricken and at a loss”. To be overwhelmed with fright and not know what to do. Literally, “alarmed and losing composure”.

Frequency

惊惶失措 Pronunciation and Pinyin

惊jīng
惶huáng
失shī
措cuò

惊惶失措 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
惊	jīng	11	startle, alarm, surprise
惶	huáng	12	be filled with fear
失	shī	5	lose, miss, or fail
措	cuò	11	handle or arrange

Example Sentence with 惊惶失措

听到突如其来的巨响，她吓得惊惶失措，不知道该往哪里躲藏。

Hearing the sudden loud noise, she was panic-stricken and at a loss, not knowing where to hide.

Origin and Story of 惊惶失措

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Yuan Huiye, a great-grandson of Emperor Jingmu of Northern Wei, was known for his integrity and strong principles.

After the Northern Wei dynasty was overthrown by Northern Qi, Emperor Shenwu of Northern Qi arranged for the empress of Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei to marry Yuan Shao, a nephew of Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei. Yuan Huiye, witnessing this, openly rebuked Yuan Shao in front of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi.

Angered, Emperor Wenxuan ordered Yuan Huiye to be executed. Another person present, Yuan Xiaoyou, became panic-stricken and at a loss (惊惶失措) at the news. In stark contrast, Yuan Huiye remained calm and composed as he faced his execution.

Idioms Related to 惊惶失措

Synonyms of 惊惶失措

Antonyms of 惊惶失措

More idioms starting with 惊

Questions about 惊惶失措

What does 惊惶失措 mean?: 惊惶失措 (jīng huáng shī cuò) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be panic-stricken and at a loss”.
How do you pronounce 惊惶失措?: 惊惶失措 is pronounced jīng huáng shī cuò in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 惊惶失措 literally mean?: Literally, 惊惶失措 means “alarmed and losing composure”. It is used to mean “to be panic-stricken and at a loss”.
Where does 惊惶失措 come from?: 惊惶失措 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 惊惶失措?: 失措：失去常态。由于惊慌，一下子不知怎么办才好。

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