怯える

• 読み: おびえる
• ローマ字: obieru
• 漢字の分解: 怯 (kyō/obi) — timid, frightened, cowardly
• 発音: /o.bi.e.ɾɯ/

意味

To become frightened; to be scared of; to cower in fear. Describes a state of trembling or cowering from something threatening.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb that conveys being gripped by fear, often visibly so. Unlike simply being afraid (怖がる), 怯える implies a deeper, more visceral reaction — trembling, cowering, or shrinking back. Often used for animals, children, or anyone in a state of genuine terror.

例文

1. 犬は雷の音に怯えて机の下に隠れた。
2. 子供たちは暗闇に怯えていた。
3. 地震の後、住民は余震に怯える日々を送った。

使い方ガイド

場面: emotions, literature, daily life

トーン: empathetic

起源と歴史

The kanji 怯 combines 忄 (heart radical) and 去 (leave, go away), suggesting a heart that wants to flee — a vivid depiction of fear causing the desire to escape.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal