startling

Compared meaning: very surprising (adjective).

比较义项：令人惊讶的，惊人的（形容词）。

• amazing

  The everyday, general word for something wonderful or hard to believe; usually positive and used casually for ordinary good things like food, weather, or performances.

  最日常、最通用的词，形容令人惊叹的美好事物，语气偏正面，常用于形容普通的美食、天气或表演等。

  Grandma still bakes amazing cookies every single Sunday afternoon.

  奶奶每个周日下午还会烤出令人惊叹的饼干。

• astonishing

  Stronger and more formal than amazing; used when facts, numbers, or achievements are so surprising they seem almost unbelievable.

  比amazing语气更强、更正式，多用于因数据、事实或成就而几乎令人难以置信的惊讶。

  Scientists found the results astonishing enough to double-check them three times.

  科学家们觉得这些结果令人惊讶，不得不反复核实了三次。

• startling 本词

  Emphasizes suddenness and shock rather than pleasant wonder; typically describes an abrupt noise, discovery, or piece of news, often with a mildly negative feel.

  强调突然性和惊吓感，而非愉悦的惊叹，多用于形容突如其来的声音、发现或消息，语气常带轻微负面色彩。

  The startling news left everyone silent for a long moment.

  这个令人吃惊的消息让大家沉默了好一会儿。

Amazing, astonishing, and startling all mean very surprising, but differ in strength. Amazing is the everyday, general word for ordinary good things. Astonishing is stronger and more formal, used when facts seem almost unbelievable. Startling stresses suddenness and shock, describing a noise or bad news.

这三个词都表示令人惊讶，但程度和情感色彩不同：amazing最常用，语气偏正面轻松；astonishing更正式，强调难以置信的程度更高；startling则强调突然性，常带有不安或负面的意味。