石破天惊
shí pò tiān jīng
earth-shattering; astonishing (of a discovery, idea or work of art)
Character by character
石shí
stone
stone
破pò
breaks
breaks
天tiān
heaven
heaven
惊jīng
startled
startled
Example
这篇论文的观点在当时可以说石破天惊。
The paper’s argument was earth-shattering for its day.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From a poem by the Tang poet 李贺 on a harpist whose music was so startling it cracked the stone that patched the sky. Now for discoveries, theories and performances that astonish everyone.
Learn this in Lesson 125 · HSK 7–9: 哈尔滨头骨之谜 (Interview: the Harbin skull)
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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