令人发指

lìng rén fà zhǐ

so outrageous that one’s hair stands on end; heinous

Character by character

令lìng
make

人rén
people

发fà
hair

指zhǐ
stand up

幼儿园老师虐待孩子的视频曝光后，网友纷纷表示：这种行为令人发指。

When the video of a nursery teacher abusing children came out, people online said such behaviour was monstrous.

Tone: negative (criticism).

发 is fà (hair), not fā; 指 here means to stand straight up. Kept for crimes and atrocities, never for mere annoyance: not ✗他迟到了，令人发指.

Learn this in Lesson 194 · HSK 7–9: 二十八年后破案 (Solved after twenty-eight years)

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.