Definition

1. Verb:
   • To be terrified / to be frightened out of one's wits: To experience a state of extreme fear or terror, often to the point of being mentally paralyzed or losing composure.
   • To be startled / to be shocked: To react with a sudden, sharp feeling of fear or surprise, often from an unexpected event.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nghe tiếng nổ lớn, mọi người đều thất kinh. (Hearing the loud explosion, everyone was terrified.)
  • Cô ấy thất kinh khi nhìn thấy con rắn trong phòng tắm. (She was frightened out of her wits when she saw the snake in the bathroom.)
  • Tin tức đó khiến cả gia đình thất kinh. (That news shocked the whole family.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "thất kinh" often implies a deeper, more profound level of fear than simple surprise. It suggests being scared to one's core, affecting one's spirit or composure ("mất hồn vía").
• It can be used to describe a lasting state of terror from a traumatic event, not just a momentary jump.

Variants and Related Words

• Kinh hãi (v/adj): to be horrified; dreadful. This is a close synonym, emphasizing horror.
  • Cảnh tượng đẫm máu khiến người ta kinh hãi. (The bloody scene horrified people.)
• Hoảng sợ (v): to panic, to be in a state of alarm. This emphasizes a reactive, panicked fear.
  • Đám đông hoảng sợ chạy tán loạn. (The crowd panicked and ran in disarray.)
• Khiếp sợ (v): to dread, to be in awe-filled fear. This emphasizes a fear mixed with awe or deep respect.
  • Những người lính khiếp sợ sức mạnh của kẻ thù. (The soldiers dreaded the enemy's power.)

Synonyms

• To be terrified: To be filled with overwhelming fear.
• To be horrified: To be filled with shock and disgust or dread.
• To be frightened out of one's wits: To be so scared one cannot think clearly.

Related Idioms

• Thất kinh thất đảm: To be scared stiff; to be utterly terrified (adding "thất đảm" intensifies the meaning of losing courage).
  • Câu chuyện ma kể lúc nửa đêm làm lũ trẻ thất kinh thất đảm. (The ghost story told at midnight scared the children stiff.)
• Thất kinh hồn vía: To be scared out of one's soul; to be frightened to death (a more vivid, idiomatic form).
  • Anh ta thất kinh hồn vía khi suýt rơi xuống vực. (He was scared out of his soul when he almost fell into the abyss.)

verb

1. to startle