寒蝉效应

Traditional form:

寒蟬效應

Pinyin (reading):

hánchánxiàoyìng

Definitions:

• the chilling effect of a climate of fear in which people are afraid to speak their mind

Characters:

• 寒 - chilly, cold; poor; to shiver, to tremble
• 蝉 - cicada; continuous
• 效 - result, effect; effective
• 应 - should, must; to respond, to handle; to deal with, to cope

Traditional characters:

• 寒 - chilly, cold; poor; to shiver, to tremble
• 蟬 - cicada; continuous
• 效 - result, effect; effective
• 應 - should, must; to respond, to handle; to deal with, to cope