触目惊心 (chù mù jīng xīn)

Character breakdown

• 触 (chù) · 13 strokes

  Simplified form of 觸. Phonosemantic compound. 角 represents the meaning and 蜀 represents the sound.

• 目 (mù) · 5 strokes

  Pictograph of an eye.

• 惊 (jīng) · 11 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Simplified form of 驚.

• 心 (xīn) · 4 strokes

  Depicts a heart.

Usage

车祸现场触目惊心。

lit. shocks the eye, astonishes the heart (idiom); shocking; horrible to see; a ghastly sight

chē huò xiàn chǎng chù mù jīng xīn 。