wonder, be surprised, frightened, amazed

About this kanji

The kanji 驚, pronounced as "kyou" in on'yomi and "odoroku" in kun'yomi, primarily means to be surprised or wonder. It is often used in verbs, like 驚く (odoroku), which means "to be surprised," and it can also be a noun as in 驚き (odoroki), meaning "surprise." Another common compound is 驚異 (kyoui), which means "wonder" or "marvel." Additionally, the expression 吃驚 (bikkuri) conveys the act of being startled or surprised. Note that the kanji often conveys a sense of amazement or shock, so it's used in situations where something unexpected happens.

Example sentences

• 突然の知らせに驚いた。

  I was surprised by the sudden news.

Meanings across languages

English

wonder, be surprised, frightened, amazed

Tiếng Việt

ngạc nhiên, bất ngờ, sợ hãi, kinh ngạc

日本語

驚, 驚く, 驚かせる, 驚愕

한국어

놀라다, 깜짝 놀라다, 놀라운

中文

惊, 惊讶, 害怕, 惊喜

id

keajaiban, terkejut

th

อัศจรรย์, ประหลาดใจ

es

maravilla, sorpresa

fr

merveille, surprise

de

Wunder, Überraschung

pt

maravilha, surpresa

Common compounds

• 驚きおどろきsurprise, astonishment, wonder
• 驚くおどろくto be surprised, to be taken aback, to be amazed
• 驚異きょういwonder, miracle, amazement
• 驚かすおどろかすto surprise, to frighten, to create a stir
• 吃驚びっくりto be surprised, to be amazed, to be frightened
• 驚愕きょうがくastonishment, amazement, surprise
• 驚くほどおどろくほどto a surprising degree, to a remarkable extent, surprisingly
• 驚嘆きょうたんwonder, admiration, being struck with admiration