誠惶誠恐
简 诚惶诚恐 · 繁 誠惶誠恐Meanings
- in fear and trepidation (idiom); in reverence before your majesty (court formula of humility)
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Mandarin tones
2–2–2–3 · cheng2 huang2 cheng2 kong3
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Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.
誠惶誠恐 · find source passages ↗ · 诚惶诚恐 · find source passages ↗
Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
sing4 wong4 sing4 hung2
Cantonese word readings for 誠惶誠恐. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
phrase
- (honorific) in fear and trepidation; with fear and reverence (expression used in an official's report to the emperor)
- (idiomatic) so cautious that one is very terrified and anxious
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
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