惊讶
jīngyà · HSK 7
amazed
😲 惊 (alarm/startle) + 讶 (be surprised) = startled into amazement
惊 carries the heart-pounding shock of being startled; 讶 adds the speechless surprise. Stacked, they mean amazed or astounded — surprise strong enough to stop you mid-sentence.
惊 — horse 马 + respect 敬 (phonetic)
Originally written 驚 with 馬 (horse) as the meaning component and 敬 as the phonetic, depicting a horse startled or frightened. The simplified form 惊 replaces 馬 with 忄 (heart radical), shifting the imagery to a startled mind. The core meaning is to be alarmed, surprised, or shocked.