📖 Meaning
Describes a state of mind where one's spirit and soul are unsettled, feeling dazed and unable to gather one's thoughts. It conveys a sense of emotional or mental disturbance where one loses composure and focus. The idiom can also describe being deeply moved or entranced by something.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom derives from classical Chinese descriptions of mental and emotional states, where the spirit (神) and soul (魂) are depicted as being tossed or swayed like an object in the wind. It appears in various literary works throughout Chinese history as a way to vividly portray psychological disorientation. Related forms include 神摇魂荡, 神魂荡扬, and 神魂飘荡. The imagery reflects the traditional Chinese belief that the mind and spirit could be physically disturbed by powerful emotions or external stimuli.
💡 Example Usage
听了这番话，他顿时神魂摇荡，不知如何是好。
Hearing these words, he was instantly thrown into a daze, not knowing what to do.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 神魂摇荡
- Pinyin: shén hún yáo dàng
- Literal Translation: spirit, soul, sway, sway
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4