mou4 gwat1 sung2 jin4毛骨悚然
Definition
Hair-raising, spine-chilling, or creepy; describing extreme fear or something terrifying.
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe a visceral, physical reaction to fear, often triggered by something supernatural, eerie, or deeply unsettling. It carries a stronger, more literary weight than simple words for fear like 驚, making it ideal for describing ghost stories or unsettling atmospheres. While it is a four character idiom, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese to add dramatic emphasis to a scary situation.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for being scared, but it specifically refers to the sensation of hair standing on end due to terror. Avoid using it for mundane fears like being afraid of heights or failing an exam, as those do not typically induce the specific 'creepy' feeling this term implies.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
