dumbstruck; petrified; as if turned to wood
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
dumbstruck; petrified; as if turned to wood
neutralOriginally from the Zhuangzi, describing a fighting cock so supremely calm it seemed like a wooden chicken. Now it overwhelmingly describes a person frozen in fear or shock.
Tīng听
dào到
zhè这
ge个
tū突
rú如
qí其
lái来
de的
è噩
hào耗
，
tā他
dāi呆
ruò若
mù木
jī鸡
dì地
zhàn站
zài在
yuán原
dì地
。
Upon hearing this sudden bad news, he stood there as if turned to wood.
Kàn看
dào到
yǎn眼
qián前
de的
jǐng景
xiàng象
，
suǒ所
yǒu有
rén人
dōu都
xià吓
de得
dāi呆
ruò若
mù木
jī鸡
。
At the sight before them, everyone was petrified with fear.
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Miàn面
duì对
yán严
lì厉
de的
zhì质
wèn问
，
tā他
yī一
shí时
yǔ语
sè塞
，
dāi呆
ruò若
mù木
jī鸡
。
Faced with the harsh interrogation, he was momentarily speechless and dumbstruck.
Zhè这
ge个
yì意
wài外
de的
xiāo消
xi息
ràng让
tā他
shùn瞬
jiān间
dāi呆
ruò若
mù木
jī鸡
，
wú无
fǎ法
sī思
kǎo考
。
The unexpected news made him instantly dumbstruck and unable to think.