恐Tone 3

kǒng ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

恐 · kǒng

fear;

dread;

afraid;

to frighten;

to terrify;

perhaps;

maybe

feardreadafraid

Usage highlights

fearterrorto be afraid of heightspanicdinosaurto threaten

Synonyms

怕— to fear; to be afraid of
惧— fear; dread
畏— to fear; to dread

Antonyms

勇— brave; courageous
敢— daring; bold

Usage & contexts

Examples

I am afraid of heights (恐高).
He was terrified by the horror movie (恐怖电影).
There is fear of an economic crisis (经济危机的恐惧).
The government issued a terror alert (恐怖警报).

Collocations

fear(恐惧)
terror(恐怖)
to be afraid of heights(恐高)
panic(恐慌)
dinosaur(恐龙)
to threaten(恐吓)

Idioms

To be scared out of one's wits(惊恐万状)
To be terrified and uneasy(惶恐不安)
To threaten and deceive(恐吓欺骗)
There is a fear that...(唯恐...)

Cultural background

The character combines 巩 (to consolidate) and 心 (heart/mind), representing a state where the heart is constrained by fear.
In traditional Chinese medicine, excessive fear is considered damaging to the kidneys according to Five Elements theory.
The term 恐龙 (dinosaur) literally means 'terrible dragon', reflecting how ancient creatures were perceived.

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