Meaning
惊慌 describes a state of sudden fear and confusion, where someone loses their composure due to an unexpected or dangerous situation. It combines the concepts of being startled (惊) and flustered or anxious (慌), capturing both the shock and the resulting disoriented state.
Usage
This word is commonly used to describe reactions to emergencies, disasters, or frightening situations. It often appears in written Chinese and formal speech. Native speakers frequently use it with 不要 (bú yào) to tell others not to panic, as in 不要惊慌. It can function as both an adjective (feeling panicked) and a verb (to panic).
Examples
- 01发生地震时，大家不要惊慌，要保持冷静。, , .When an earthquake occurs, everyone shouldn't panic and should stay calm.
- 02他听到这个消息后显得十分惊慌。.He appeared extremely panicked after hearing this news.
Characters
Common collocations
- 惊慌失措to be thrown into confusion, to lose one's head
- 不要惊慌don't panic
- 十分惊慌extremely panicked
- 感到惊慌to feel panicked
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters contain the heart radical (心/忄), emphasizing that this is an emotional and psychological state. 惊 originally depicted a horse being startled, while 慌 combines heart with 荒 (wasteland/chaos), suggesting mental disorder.