怕 (pà) - To fear & to be afraid of

怕Tone 4

pà ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 忄

柠七

怕 · pà

To fear;

to be afraid of;

to dread;

to worry;

also used to express concern or apprehension.

To fearto be afraid ofto dread

Usage highlights

FearBe afraid ofFear deathFear hardshipFear troubleFear the cold

Synonyms

  • 恐惧— fear, dread
  • 害怕— to be afraid, to fear
  • 畏惧— to dread, to be apprehensive

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I'm afraid of spiders (怕蜘蛛).
  • Don't be afraid (别怕).
  • She worries about her exam results (怕考试结果).
  • He's scared of heights (怕高).

Collocations

  • Fear(害怕)
  • Be afraid of(怕...)
  • Fear death(怕死)
  • Fear hardship(怕苦)
  • Fear trouble(怕麻烦)
  • Fear the cold(怕冷)

Idioms

  • Fear neither hardship nor death(怕苦怕死)
  • Fear the sky and dread the earth(怕天怕地)
  • Fear wolves in front and tigers behind(前怕狼后怕虎)
  • Fear everything(什么都怕)
  • Fear neither ghosts nor gods(怕鬼怕神)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 怕 combines the heart/mind radical (忄) with 白 (white), suggesting a heart turning pale with fear.
  • In Chinese culture, expressing fear is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness, leading to sayings that encourage bravery.
  • The concept of fear is often discussed in relation to facing challenges and overcoming obstacles.

FAQ