Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== mùdèngkǒudāi: 目瞪口呆 - Dumbfounded, Stunned, Agog ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** mùdèngkǒudāi, 目瞪口呆, Chinese idiom for shocked, how to say dumbfounded in Chinese, chengyu stunned, jaw-dropping in Chinese, mù dèng kǒu dāi meaning, astonished, flabbergasted, agog, Chinese chengyu. * **Summary:** 目瞪口呆 (mùdèngkǒudāi) is a vivid Chinese idiom (chengyu) describing the state of being utterly dumbfounded, stunned, or flabbergasted. It literally paints a picture of someone whose "eyes are staring wide and mouth is agape," capturing the physical reaction to something incredibly shocking or unbelievable. If you're looking for how to say "jaw-dropping" or "stunned speechless" in Chinese, mùdèngkǒudāi is the perfect, expressive term to learn. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** mù dèng kǒu dāi * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (Idiom); can function as a predicate, adverbial, or complement. * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 * **Concise Definition:** To be dumbfounded, stunned speechless, or agog with astonishment. * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine seeing something so shocking that you physically freeze. Your eyes pop open, you stare blankly, and your mouth hangs open, unable to form words. That's the exact feeling of 目瞪口呆 (mùdèngkǒudāi). It’s not just surprise; it's a full-body, deer-in-the-headlights level of astonishment. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **目 (mù):** Eye. A pictogram of an eye. * **瞪 (dèng):** To stare or goggle. It's composed of the "eye" radical (目) and a phonetic component 登 (dēng). The combination means to use your eyes to stare intently. * **口 (kǒu):** Mouth. A pictogram of an open mouth. * **呆 (dāi):** Blank, foolish,呆滯 (dāizhì) - sluggish. It's composed of "mouth" (口) and "wood" (木), suggesting someone whose mouth is open but as unresponsive as a wooden block. These four characters combine to create a powerful and literal image: **"Eyes staring, mouth blank."** It's a snapshot of a person completely overwhelmed by what they are witnessing. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== As a `chengyu` (成语), 目瞪口呆 is part of a rich tradition of four-character idioms that add sophistication and imagery to the Chinese language. Its power lies in its universality and descriptive nature. Unlike some chengyu rooted in obscure historical anecdotes, the meaning of 目瞪口呆 is immediately clear from its component characters. In Western culture, we might say someone was "gobsmacked," "flabbergasted," or that a situation was "jaw-dropping." These are excellent parallels. However, 目瞪口呆 is subtly different as it focuses entirely on the **physical reaction of the stunned person**. "Jaw-dropping" describes the event, but "mùdèngkǒudāi" describes the person //experiencing// the event. It’s a very visual and almost cinematic way to describe a state of shock, frequently used in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversation to add dramatic flair. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== 目瞪口呆 is common in both spoken and written Chinese. It's used to express a strong degree of surprise, far beyond simple astonishment. * **In Conversation:** People use it to recount unbelievable stories. "When I heard the news, I was completely 目瞪口呆." (我听到那个消息时，简直目瞪口呆。) * **In Media:** News headlines and articles use it to describe public or individual reactions to shocking events, incredible achievements, or bizarre occurrences. * **On Social Media:** It’s a popular way to react to amazing videos, surprising plot twists in a TV show, or unbelievable gossip. * **Connotation:** It is generally neutral, as it simply describes a reaction. The context determines whether the shock is due to something positive (an amazing magic trick), negative (a sudden disaster), or just bizarre (a strange fashion choice). ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 魔术师的表演让所有观众都**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Móshùshī de biǎoyǎn ràng suǒyǒu guānzhòng dōu **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: The magician's performance left the entire audience dumbfounded. * Analysis: A classic usage for a positive, awe-inspiring event. It emphasizes the collective shock and amazement of the crowd. * **Example 2:** * 听到这个突如其来的消息，他**目瞪口呆**地站在原地，一句话也说不出来。 * Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège tūrúqílái de xiāoxi, tā **mùdèngkǒudāi** de zhàn zài yuándì, yí jù huà yě shuō bu chūlái. * English: Hearing the sudden news, he stood there dumbfounded, unable to say a single word. * Analysis: This shows the idiom used as an adverbial (目瞪口呆地) modifying the verb "to stand" (站). It highlights the physical paralysis that comes with the shock. * **Example 3:** * 看到账单上的数字，我看得**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Kàndào zhàngdān shàng de shùzì, wǒ kàn de **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: I was stunned when I saw the numbers on the bill. * Analysis: This uses the `V + 得 + result` structure (`看得目瞪口呆`), which is a very common way to use this idiom. It means "to look to the point of being dumbfounded." * **Example 4:** * 那个小男孩收到了一个巨大的机器人作为生日礼物，他当时就**目瞪口呆**了。 * Pinyin: Nàge xiǎo nánhái shōudào le yí ge jùdà de jīqìrén zuòwéi shēngrì lǐwù, tā dāngshí jiù **mùdèngkǒudāi** le. * English: That little boy received a giant robot as a birthday present and was instantly left agog. * Analysis: Perfect for describing a child's pure, overwhelming joy and surprise. * **Example 5:** * 他那番不负责任的言论，让在场的所有人都**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Tā nà fān bù fù zérèn de yánlùn, ràng zàichǎng de suǒyǒu rén dōu **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: His irresponsible remarks left everyone present completely stunned. * Analysis: An example of the idiom used in a negative context, expressing shock at someone's audacity or foolishness. * **Example 6:** * 我们爬上山顶，眼前的壮丽景色让我们**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen pá shàng shāndǐng, yǎnqián de zhuànglì jǐngsè ràng wǒmen **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: We climbed to the mountain top, and the magnificent scenery before our eyes left us speechless. * Analysis: Shows how it can be used for breathtaking beauty, not just shocking events. * **Example 7:** * 总裁突然宣布公司将要搬迁，员工们个个**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Zǒngcái tūrán xuānbù gōngsī jiāngyào bānqiān, yuángōngmen gègè **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: The CEO suddenly announced the company was going to relocate, and the employees were one and all dumbfounded. * Analysis: `个个 (gègè)` means "each and every one," emphasizing the universal shock within the group. * **Example 8:** * 当他得知自己中了彩票时，他先是**目瞪口呆**，然后才开始大笑。 * Pinyin: Dāng tā dézhī zìjǐ zhòng le cǎipiào shí, tā xiān shì **mùdèngkǒudāi**, ránhòu cái kāishǐ dà xiào. * English: When he found out he had won the lottery, he was first stunned, and only then did he start laughing loudly. * Analysis: This illustrates the sequence of reactions: shock first, then another emotion. * **Example 9:** * 这部电影的结局如此出人意料，以至于我坐在椅子上**目瞪口呆**了足足一分钟。 * Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng de jiéjú rúcǐ chūrényìliào, yǐzhìyú wǒ zuò zài yǐzi shàng **mùdèngkǒudāi** le zúzú yī fēnzhōng. * English: The ending of this movie was so unexpected that I sat in my chair, dumbfounded, for a full minute. * Analysis: Highlights the duration of the stunned state, showing the intensity of the surprise. * **Example 10:** * 看着儿子房间里乱七八糟的样子，妈妈气得**目瞪口呆**。 * Pinyin: Kànzhe érzi fángjiān lǐ luànqībāzāo de yàngzi, māma qì de **mùdèngkǒudāi**. * English: Seeing the messy state of her son's room, the mom was so angry she was stunned speechless. * Analysis: Shows another common structure: `[Emotion] + 得 + 目瞪口呆`. Here, it's "angry to the point of being dumbfounded" (`气得目瞪口呆`). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Don't use it for mild surprise.** 目瞪口呆 is for a high level of shock. If you find out a coffee shop is closed, you might be `惊讶 (jīngyà - surprised)`, but not `目瞪口呆`. If you find out the coffee shop was carried away by a tornado, then `目瞪口呆` is appropriate. * **Incorrect:** 噢，下雨了，我真是目瞪口呆。(Ō, xiàyǔ le, wǒ zhēnshi mùdèngkǒudāi.) - "Oh, it's raining, I'm so dumbfounded." (This is overkill and sounds strange). * **Correct:** 噢，下雨了，真没想到。(Ō, xiàyǔ le, zhēn méi xiǎngdào.) - "Oh, it's raining, I didn't expect that." * **Grammatical Function:** While it can be a predicate (他目瞪口呆), it's very often used as a complement of state, describing the result of an action or emotion. Look for the pattern `V/Adj + 得 + 目瞪口呆`. * **Common pattern:** `看得目瞪口呆` (kàn de...) - to see something and be dumbfounded. * **Common pattern:** `听得目瞪口呆` (tīng de...) - to hear something and be dumbfounded. * **Common pattern:** `惊得目瞪口呆` (jīng de...) - to be startled to the point of being dumbfounded. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[瞠目结舌]] (chēng mù jié shé)** - A very close synonym, meaning "to stare wide-eyed and be tongue-tied." It's slightly more formal and literary than 目瞪口呆. * **[[惊呆]] (jīng dāi)** - A simpler, more common verb meaning "to be stunned" or "dumbstruck." It lacks the vivid four-character imagery but conveys a similar meaning in everyday speech. * **[[大吃一惊]] (dà chī yī jīng)** - A very common idiom meaning "to be greatly startled/surprised" (literally "to eat a big surprise"). It focuses on the sudden shock rather than the prolonged, frozen reaction of 目瞪口呆. * **[[难以置信]] (nán yǐ zhì xìn)** - "Hard to believe." This describes the mental state of disbelief, whereas 目瞪口呆 describes the physical reaction to that disbelief. * **[[傻眼]] (shǎyǎn)** - A colloquial term meaning "to be dumbfounded," especially in a way that leaves one at a loss for what to do. It has a slightly more helpless or foolish connotation. * **[[惊讶]] (jīngyà)** - The standard, general-purpose word for "surprised," "amazed," or "astonished." It's the base-level term, while 目瞪口呆 is at the extreme end of the spectrum.