畏 (wèi) - fear, dread, respect & to be afraid of, to revere
畏 · wèi
fear, dread, respect;
to be afraid of, to revere
fear, dread, respectto be afraid of, to revere
Usage highlights
to fear, to dreadformidable, aweto revere, to hold in aweto fear hardshipto shrink back in fearfear of the unknown
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He fears his father's authority (畏惧父亲的权威).
- She showed no fear in the face of danger (面对危险毫不畏惧).
- This is a formidable opponent (这是一个可畏的对手).
- Students should respect their teachers (学生应该敬畏老师).
Collocations
- to fear, to dread(畏惧)
- formidable, awe-inspiring(可畏)
- to revere, to hold in awe(敬畏)
- to fear hardship(畏难)
- to shrink back in fear(畏缩)
- fear of the unknown(畏未知)
Idioms
- To fear this and fear that(畏首畏尾)
- To look on with awe(望而生畏)
- To fear hardship and avoid responsibility(畏难苟安)
- The young should be respected(后生可畏)
- To be fearless and dauntless(无所畏惧)
Cultural background
FAQ- In Confucian tradition, '畏' encompasses both fear and reverence, particularly toward heaven, parents, and sages.
- The character appears in classical texts like the Analects, where Confucius speaks of 'three things to be in awe of' (君子有三畏).
- In modern usage, it often carries a negative connotation of cowardice or avoidance when used alone.