📖 Meaning
To be so infatuated or captivated that one loses composure and acts in a bewildered, disordered manner. It describes a state where someone's mind is completely unsettled, typically due to strong emotional attachment or desire.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Ming Dynasty author Feng Menglong's collection 'Stories to Awaken the World' (醒世恒言), published in the 17th century. In Volume 16, it describes how many young women became so enamored of a charming man that their spirits were thrown into turmoil, causing them to forget even their own homes. The phrase vividly captures the disorientation of mind that accompanies deep infatuation.
💡 Example Usage
他被那位女子的美貌迷得神魂颠倒，整日茶饭不思。
He was so captivated by the woman's beauty that his mind was completely unsettled, unable to eat or drink all day.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 神魂颠倒
- Pinyin: shén hún diān dǎo
- Literal Translation: spirit, soul, inverted, toppled
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4