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March 24, 2026
愕è(e4)
The character 愕 (è) conveys a sense of being startled or alarmed, often in response to something unexpected or shocking. It can be used to describe a feeling of astonishment that disrupts one's composure or thought process, making it a vivid expression of surprise in various contexts.
Strokes12Radical忄Frequency#54217DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing surprise or astonishment is often more subdued than in Western contexts, where overt reactions can be common. The use of 愕 might reflect a more restrained cultural response to shocking news.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person hearing a loud noise and jumping back in shock, their mouth forming an 'è' shape as they gasp in surprise. The radical 心 (heart) at the bottom suggests that this feeling is deeply felt, while the top components could resemble a person startled by something abrupt.
Meanings of 愕
è(e4)
1startled, alarmed, astonished
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 愕
愕Simplified
12Strokes
忄Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 愕
Podcast: 愕
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AI Study Notes for 愕
Usage Notes
This character is more formal and literary, so it might not be commonly used in casual conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words, and watch out for pronunciation, especially the falling tone in 'è'. Common collocations include 愕然 (è rán), meaning 'to be astonished'.
HSK Study Tips
Though not an HSK level word, students at the intermediate level should focus on recognizing 愕 in written texts. Understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to emotions and reactions, connecting to other words like 惊 (jīng, surprise) and 震惊 (zhèn jīng, shock).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 愕 with 亢 (kàng), which means 'arrogant' or 'high', due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 愕 specifically relates to feelings of shock and surprise, while 亢 does not.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 愕
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2The sound half咢 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 愕? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 愕?
Decomposition of 愕
IDS Structure⿰忄咢
愕Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
咢e4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 愕?
How to say startled, alarmed, astonished in Chinese
“startled, alarmed, astonished” in Chinese is愕è
The character 愕 (è) conveys a sense of being startled or alarmed, often in response to something unexpected or shocking. It can be used to describe a feeling of astonishment that disrupts one's composure or thought process, making it a vivid expression of surprise in various contexts.
When to use 愕
This character is more formal and literary, so it might not be commonly used in casual conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words, and watch out for pronunciation, especially the falling tone in 'è'. Common collocations include 愕然 (è rán), meaning 'to be astonished'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 愕 with 亢 (kàng), which means 'arrogant' or 'high', due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 愕 specifically relates to feelings of shock and surprise, while 亢 does not.
Write 愕
愕
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Practice writing 愕 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 愕
愕 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我惊____万分，不知说什么好。
I feel simply too devastated for words.
Example Sentences for 愕 (7)
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1
我惊愕万分，不知说什么好。
wǒ jīng è wàn fēn， ， bù zhī shuō shí mó。
I feel simply too devastated for words.
2
从那个屏幕上看到我的脸，真让人惊愕不已。
cóng nà gè píng mù shàng kàn dào wǒ de liǎn， ， zhēn ràng rén jīng è bù。
It was quite a shock to see my face on that screen!
