📖 Meaning
To be so deeply grieved by what one sees that the heart feels as if it is breaking apart. It describes the visceral shock and overwhelming sorrow triggered by witnessing a tragic, horrifying, or deeply distressing scene.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the 'Book of Southern Qi' (南齐书), in the biography of Prince Wenxian of Yuzhang (豫章文献王嶷). The prince was the younger brother of Emperor Wu of Southern Qi and was widely respected for his virtue. After his death, the court memorialized him, and the text records that merely recalling his noble deeds and legacy was enough to 'shock the eye and break the heart' — a testament to the depth of collective mourning. The idiom was later echoed by the Chen dynasty writer Xu Ling (徐陵) in a letter to Li Biao, where he used it to convey his own sorrow at the passage of time and personal loss.
💡 Example Usage
目睹灾后废墟，触目崩心，泪如雨下。
Witnessing the ruins after the disaster, my heart shattered at the sight, and tears fell like rain.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 触目崩心
- Pinyin: chù mù bēng xīn
- Literal Translation: touch, eye, collapse, heart
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4