心惊肉跳 heart-pounding fear
Explanation
形容心里害怕得厉害，身体也跟着发抖。
Describes a feeling of intense fear and anxiety, where the body trembles.
Origin Story
话说古代，有一位书生名叫李文，他勤奋好学，却家境贫寒。一天，他进京赶考，路过一片荒无人烟的深山老林，夜幕降临，李文不得不暂时在破庙里过夜。庙宇破旧不堪，四处漏风，寒风呼啸，更是增添了几分恐怖的气氛。庙宇里四处都是老鼠和蛇的痕迹，让李文心惊肉跳。突然，一阵阴风吹过，庙门“吱呀”一声开了，李文吓得魂飞魄散，心想难道碰上山精鬼怪了？他强忍着恐惧，紧紧地闭上双眼，屏住呼吸，一动也不敢动。过了许久，才小心翼翼地睁开眼睛，却发现原来只是一只野猫窜了进来。虽然虚惊一场，但李文仍然心惊肉跳，久久不能平静。他终于明白，害怕并不来源于事实本身，而是来源于对未知的恐惧和不安。这次经历也让他更加坚强勇敢，最终，他金榜题名，名扬天下。
It is said that in ancient times, there was a scholar named Li Wen who was diligent and studious but poor. One day, he went to the capital to take the imperial examinations. He passed through a deserted and deep mountain forest. As night fell, Li Wen had to temporarily stay overnight in a dilapidated temple. The temple was dilapidated and drafty, with a cold wind howling, adding to the terrifying atmosphere. There were traces of rats and snakes everywhere in the temple, which made Li Wen's heart pound. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and the temple door creaked open. Li Wen was terrified, thinking he had encountered ghosts or demons. He suppressed his fear, closed his eyes tightly, held his breath, and dared not move. After a long time, he cautiously opened his eyes and found it was only a wild cat that had rushed in. Although it was a false alarm, Li Wen was still very frightened and could not calm down for a long time. He finally understood that fear does not come from the facts themselves, but from the fear and anxiety of the unknown. This experience also made him stronger and braver. In the end, he passed the imperial examinations, became famous, and achieved great success.
Usage
作谓语、宾语、状语；形容人极度惊惧恐慌
As predicate, object or adverbial; describes a person's extreme fear and panic
Examples
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听到这个噩耗，她吓得心惊肉跳。
ting dao zhe ge e hao ta xia de xin jing rou tiao
She was scared out of her wits when she heard the bad news.
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夜晚的森林里，各种怪声让她心惊肉跳。
ye wan de sen lin li ge zhong guai sheng rang ta xin jing rou tiao
The strange sounds in the night forest made her heart pound.
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期末考试临近，他复习进度缓慢，心里心惊肉跳。
qimo kaoshi lin jin ta fuxi jindu huan man xin li xin jing rou tiao
The upcoming final exam and his slow progress made his heart sink with fear