dà jīng shī sè: 大惊失色 - To Turn Pale with Fright

• Keywords: 大惊失色, da jing shi se, Chinese idiom for fear, turn pale with fright, scared speechless, lose color from shock, Chinese chengyu, what does 大惊失色 mean, scared out of one's wits, Chinese expressions for shock.
• Summary: 大惊失色 (dà jīng shī sè) is a classic Chinese idiom (成语, chéngyǔ) that vividly describes the physical reaction to extreme shock or fear. It literally means “great shock, lose color,” painting a picture of someone's face turning pale in an instant. This entry will break down what 大惊失色 means, explore its cultural context, and provide practical examples to help you master this expressive term for describing dramatic situations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dà jīng shī sè
• Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu 成语); often functions as a predicate or adverbial phrase.
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To be so frightened or shocked that the color drains from one's face.
• In a Nutshell: This isn't just about feeling scared; it's about the visible, physical result of that fear. Imagine a character in a movie seeing a ghost or witnessing a sudden accident. The immediate draining of blood from their face, leaving them pale and aghast—that is 大惊失色. It's a highly descriptive and literary term that captures a moment of pure, unadulterated shock.

• 大 (dà): Big, great, immense. It sets the scale of the emotion. This isn't a small surprise.
• 惊 (jīng): To be frightened, shocked, or startled. The radical on the left (忄) means “heart,” while the right part relates to something that commands respect or awe, suggesting a shock that grips the heart.
• 失 (shī): To lose.
• 色 (sè): Color, specifically referring to the complexion or the look on one's face.
• The characters combine literally and powerfully: “Great Shock, Lose Color.” The meaning is derived directly from the sum of its parts, making it a relatively easy idiom to remember once you know the individual characters.

As a four-character idiom (成语, chéngyǔ), 大惊失色 is part of a rich literary tradition in China. These idioms often distill a story, historical event, or a vivid image into a concise phrase. Using them demonstrates education and eloquence. The concept itself emphasizes a holistic view of emotions, where a strong internal feeling (fear) has an undeniable external, physical manifestation (paleness). This is a common feature in Chinese descriptive language, which often favors “showing” over “telling.” In Western culture, we have similar expressions like “to go white as a ghost” or “to be scared stiff.” However, 大惊失色 is more of a standard, almost default literary description for this specific reaction. While “white as a ghost” is a simile, 大惊失色 functions more like a verb phrase or an adjective describing a state. It is the action and the result all in one. You wouldn't just say someone “did” 大惊失色; you'd say they heard the news and (were) 大惊失色.

• Formality: 大惊失色 is considered more formal and literary. It's commonly found in novels, news articles describing dramatic events (like disasters or accidents), and historical narratives. While you might hear it in a movie or a TV drama, it's less common in everyday, casual conversation. Using it to describe a minor scare (like a friend saying “boo!”) would sound overly dramatic.
• Connotation: It is entirely negative, as it's rooted in fear, shock, and alarm.
• Usage: It's often used to describe someone's reaction immediately after seeing, hearing, or realizing something terrifying. It can stand alone as a predicate or follow a phrase like `吓得 (xià de)`, meaning “scared to the point of…”

• Example 1:
  • 看到车祸现场，他大惊失色，站在原地一动不动。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào chēhuò xiànchǎng, tā dà jīng shī sè, zhàn zài yuándì yī dòng bù dòng.
  • English: Seeing the scene of the car accident, he turned pale with fright and stood frozen to the spot.
  • Analysis: A classic usage. The idiom describes the immediate, visceral reaction to witnessing a shocking event.
• Example 2:
  • 当警察告诉她儿子被绑架的消息时，她大惊失色，差点晕倒。
  • Pinyin: Dāng jǐngchá gàosù tā érzi bèi bǎngjià de xiāoxī shí, tā dà jīng shī sè, chàdiǎn yūndǎo.
  • English: When the police told her the news that her son had been kidnapped, she was aghast and nearly fainted.
  • Analysis: Here, the shock comes from receiving terrible news, not from seeing something directly. The idiom works for both sensory and informational shocks.
• Example 3:
  • 听到身后传来奇怪的脚步声，探险家吓得大惊失色。
  • Pinyin: Tīngdào shēnhòu chuánlái qíguài de jiǎobùshēng, tànxiǎnjiā xià de dà jīng shī sè.
  • English: Hearing strange footsteps behind him, the explorer was so scared he went white with fear.
  • Analysis: The structure `吓得 (xià de)` + idiom is very common, meaning “was scared to the point of…”
• Example 4:
  • 打开保险箱后，他发现里面的珠宝都不见了，顿时大惊失色。
  • Pinyin: Dǎkāi bǎoxiǎnxiāng hòu, tā fāxiàn lǐmiàn de zhūbǎo dōu bùjiàn le, dùnshí dà jīng shī sè.
  • English: After opening the safe, he found all the jewels inside were gone and instantly grew pale with shock.
  • Analysis: The word `顿时 (dùnshí)`, meaning “instantly,” perfectly complements the suddenness implied by 大惊失色.
• Example 5:
  • 那个小女孩声称在森林里看到了怪物，把所有人都说得大惊失色。
  • Pinyin: Nàge xiǎo nǚhái shēngchēng zài sēnlín lǐ kàndào le guàiwù, bǎ suǒyǒu rén dōu shuō de dà jīng shī sè.
  • English: The little girl claimed she saw a monster in the forest, making everyone turn pale with alarm.
  • Analysis: This shows the idiom can be used to describe the effect of a story on a group of people, not just a single person's direct experience.
• Example 6:
  • 财务总监看到公司上季度的亏损报告，不由得大惊失色。
  • Pinyin: Cáiwù zǒngjiān kàndào gōngsī shàng jìdù de kuīsǔn bàogào, bùyóude dà jīng shī sè.
  • English: The CFO couldn't help but be aghast when he saw the company's loss report for the last quarter.
  • Analysis: The shock here is financial, not physical danger, but the magnitude of the bad news warrants this strong expression.
• Example 7:
  • 读到小说结尾的惊人转折，我大惊失色，完全没想到。
  • Pinyin: Dúdào xiǎoshuō jiéwěi de jīngrén zhuǎnzhé, wǒ dà jīng shī sè, wánquán méi xiǎngdào.
  • English: Reading the shocking twist at the end of the novel, I was utterly aghast; I didn't see it coming at all.
  • Analysis: A slightly metaphorical use. While the reader might not literally turn pale, it conveys an extreme level of literary shock.
• Example 8:
  • 他以为自己是房间里唯一的人，直到一只手搭在他的肩膀上，他才大惊失色地回过头。
  • Pinyin: Tā yǐwéi zìjǐ shì fángjiān lǐ wéiyī de rén, zhídào yī zhī shǒu dā zài tā de jiānbǎng shàng, tā cái dà jīng shī sè de huíguòtóu.
  • English: He thought he was the only one in the room, until a hand touched his shoulder, and he turned around, pale with fright.
  • Analysis: Used here as an adverbial (`…地`) to describe the manner in which he turned his head.
• Example 9:
  • 皇帝听闻边疆失守的消息，大惊失色，立刻召集大臣议事。
  • Pinyin: Huángdì tīngwén biānjiāng shīshǒu de xiāoxī, dà jīng shī sè, lìkè zhàojí dàchén yìshì.
  • English: Upon hearing the news that the border had fallen, the emperor was horrified and immediately summoned his ministers.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in historical or formal storytelling contexts.
• Example 10:
  • 当他意识到自己把机密文件忘在出租车上时，他大惊失色。
  • Pinyin: Dāng tā yìshí dào zìjǐ bǎ jīmì wénjiàn wàng zài chūzūchē shàng shí, tā dà jīng shī sè.
  • English: He turned pale with shock when he realized he had left the confidential documents in the taxi.
  • Analysis: This highlights the shock of realization—the “oh no” moment when the full, terrible implications of a mistake dawn on someone.

• Don't use it for mild surprise. This idiom is for major shocks only. If a friend jumps out and surprises you, you would say `吓了我一跳 (xià le wǒ yí tiào) - Startled me!`. Using 大惊失色 would be comically dramatic. It's the difference between being startled and being horrified.
• It's more for writing than speaking. While people will understand you, it can sound overly formal or “bookish” in casual conversation. Stick to simpler phrases like `太可怕了 (tài kěpà le) - So scary!` or `吓死了 (xià sǐ le) - Scared to death!` in everyday chat.
• “False Friend” Clarification: The `色 (sè)` specifically refers to facial complexion. The term does not mean “discolored” in a general sense (like for clothes fading) nor does it mean “disappointed.” The loss of color is directly and exclusively linked to the emotion of shock or fear.

• `惊慌失措 (jīng huāng shī cuò)` - Panicked and at a loss for what to do. Describes the mental and behavioral chaos that follows the shock, whereas 大惊失色 describes the initial physical reaction.
• `面如土色 (miàn rú tǔ sè)` - (Face as pale as) earth-colored. A close synonym that focuses entirely on the paleness of the face due to fear or illness. It's even more descriptive of the color itself.
• `目瞪口呆 (mù dèng kǒu dāi)` - Dumbstruck and gaping; eyes wide and mouth open. Describes the frozen, stunned facial expression of someone in shock. This often happens at the same time as one might 大惊失色.
• `魂飞魄散 (hún fēi pò sàn)` - (Soul flies away and scatters). A more intense and metaphorical idiom meaning “scared out of one's wits.” It describes an internal feeling of terror so profound it feels like one's soul is leaving the body.
• `大吃一惊 (dà chī yī jīng)` - To be greatly surprised/shocked. A very common and slightly less formal way to say you were very surprised. It doesn't have the “pale with fright” connotation.
• `吓了一跳 (xià le yí tiào)` - To be startled or to jump with fright. The most common and colloquial way to express being surprised or scared by something sudden.
• `惊讶 (jīngyà)` - Surprised; amazed. A neutral word for surprise, which can be positive or negative. It lacks the strong sense of fear found in 大惊失色.