駭がい然ぜん

adverb taking the 'to' particle, taru-adjective

astonished; very surprised

Archaic literary word describing a state of being stunned or taken aback. Used with と or in たる form. Modern Japanese would more commonly use 愕然 (がくぜん) or びっくりした.

See also: 愕然

• その知しらせを聞きいて、彼かれは駭がい然ぜんとした。

  Upon hearing the news, he was astonished.