How to Write 骇 (hài) — Meaning “To shock; to startle”

Imagine a horse (马) being scared by a loud, sudden noise, so it rears up with a shocked expression. The right side 亥 looks like a startled face with a dot for an eye and a hook for a nostril.

Write the left radical 马 narrow and tall, using three strokes. The right side 亥 has a dot on top, then a horizontal line, then a vertical hook that should not be too long. A common mistake is making the vertical hook extend below the bottom of the left radical, which throws off the balance.

骇 means 'to shock', while 驱 means 'to drive' (like driving a horse) and 驳 means 'to refute' or 'to argue'. Visually, 骇 has 亥 on the right (dot, horizontal, vertical hook), 驱 has 区 (an enclosure), and 驳 has 爻 (two crossed strokes). All share the horse radical but have different right-side components and meanings.

骇 is used in formal or written language, often in words like 惊骇 (appalled) and 骇人听闻 (shocking news). It is not common in everyday speech; instead, people usually say 吓 (xià) for 'to scare'. You may encounter 骇 in news headlines or literature to emphasize a strong sense of terror or surprise.

Common words containing 骇 include: 惊骇 (jīng hài) — Appalled; 骇人 (hài rén) — Shocking; terrifying; 骇闻 (hài wén) — Shocked to hear.