惊世骇俗
jīng shì hài sú
to astonish the world; so unusual it defies all convention
Character by character
惊jīng
startle
startle
世shì
world
world
骇hài
shock
shock
俗sú
custom
custom
Example
一百多年前，女子剪短发、进学校读书，在很多人眼里是惊世骇俗的举动。
A little over a century ago, a woman who cut her hair short and went to school was, in many people’s eyes, doing something outrageous.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Originally of words and deeds that defy convention (惊世骇俗的言论、举动), which may be praise or blame; now also of discoveries and works so extraordinary that they astonish everyone, as with the Sanxingdui bronzes. 石破天惊 (lesson 5-24) stresses the sudden breakthrough; 惊世骇俗 the shock to what people took for normal.
Learn this in Lesson 174 · HSK 7–9: 三星堆 (Sanxingdui)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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