目瞪口呆
目瞪口呆 (mù dèng kǒu dāi) literally means “wide-eyed and speechless” and expresses “dumbstruck”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: mu deng kou dai, mu deng kou dai,目瞪口呆 meaning, 目瞪口呆 in english
Dumbstruck
Pronunciation: mù dèng kǒu dāi Literal meaning: Wide-eyed and speechless
Origin & Usage
Eyes (目) staring (瞪) and mouth (口) slack (呆). It is straightforwardly descriptive and belongs to vernacular fiction and everyday speech. The pairing of the two features is what makes it work: Chinese has separate words for astonishment, and this one insists on the face, so it is used when the reaction was visible to others. It is common in narrative and in retelling — the standard way to report how a room looked when the news landed.
Examples
English: "When he heard the news, he was left utterly speechless, unable to respond."
Chinese: 听到这个消息后，他目瞪口呆，无法反应。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
呆若木鸡
dāi ruò mù jī
Completely stunned or dumbfounded
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众口铄金
zhòng kǒu shuò jīn
Repeated by enough people, a falsehood passes for truth
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口蜜腹剑
kǒu mì fù jiàn
Hide evil behind sweet words
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笑口常开
xiào kǒu cháng kāi
May you always be happy and smiling
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口干舌燥
kǒu gān shé zào
Exhausted from excessive talking
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目不暇给
mù bù xiá jǐ
Too much to take in
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鱼目混珠
yú mù hùn zhū
Passing fakes as genuine
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触目惊心
chù mù jīng xīn
Shocking; deeply disturbing
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 目瞪口呆 mean in English?
目瞪口呆 (mù dèng kǒu dāi) literally translates to “Wide-eyed and speechless” and is used to express “Dumbstruck”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 目瞪口呆 used?
Situation: When he heard the news, he was left utterly speechless, unable to respond.
What is the pinyin for 目瞪口呆?
The pinyin pronunciation for 目瞪口呆 is “mù dèng kǒu dāi”.