Chinese word

悬念

Pronunciation

Pinyinxuán niàn

Meaning

nounsuspense

Example

这部电影很有悬念，结局也出乎意料。zhè bù diàn yǐng hěn yǒu xuán niàn jié jú yě chū hū yì liào

This movie has a lot of suspense, and the ending is also unexpected.

More examples

记者把来龙去脉说清楚后，围绕事件的悬念就被解除。jì zhě bǎ lái lóng qù mài shuō qīng chǔ hòu wéi rào shì jiàn de xuán niàn jiù bèi jiě chú

Once the reporter explained the whole story clearly, the suspense surrounding the event was resolved.

Core concept

Unrevealed information keeps a question open, making each new clue feel important and the final result feel pressing.

Common phrases

制造悬念zhì zào xuán niàn
build suspense
埋下悬念mái xià xuán niàn
set up suspense
解除悬念jiě chú xuán niàn
relieve the suspense

Similar words

紧张jǐn zhāng: A feeling or atmosphere of strain makes people feel uneasy and unable to relax.
悬疑xuán yí: A story or event contains a mystery because its central truth is kept hidden.
疑问yí wèn: An unclear question or point remains when no explanation or answer has been provided.

Definition in Chinese

指情节、信息或结果尚未揭晓而留下的疑点或线索，从而引发猜测与紧张的要素。zhǐ qíng jié xìn xī huò jié guǒ shàng wèi jiē xiǎo ér liú xià de yí diǎn huò xiàn suǒ cóng ér yǐn fā cāi cè yǔ jǐn zhāng de yào sù

Word origin

悬 (xuán, "hang") + 念 (niàn, "thought") presents a thought left hanging, which develops into an unresolved question that keeps attention active.

Usage tips

In everyday film talk, the word points to what keeps an audience waiting for an answer, not just to a tense moment during the story.

Other meanings

tensionnoun
urgencynoun

Opposites

确定性què dìng xìngcertaintynoun

Related words

悬念感xuán niàn gǎnfeeling of suspensenoun