恐怖

• Reading: きょうふ
• Romaji: kyoufu
• Kanji breakdown: 恐 (kyō) — fear, dread; 怖 (fu) — scary, frightening
• Pronunciation: /kjoː.ɸɯ/

Meaning

Fear; terror. An intense feeling of dread or fright.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (恐怖する). Describes deep, visceral fear — stronger than 怖い (scary) or 不安 (anxiety). Common compounds include 恐怖症 (phobia), 恐怖心 (feeling of fear), and 恐怖映画 (horror film). Can be used both transitively (…を恐怖する) and intransitively.

Examples

1. 暗い道を一人で歩くと恐怖を感じる。 I feel fear when walking alone down a dark road.
2. 彼は高い所に対する恐怖を克服した。 He overcame his fear of heights.
3. あの映画は恐怖で眠れなくなるほどだった。 That movie was so terrifying I couldn't sleep.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, psychology, entertainment

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 恐 (kyō, fear/dread) and 怖 (fu, scary/frightening). Both characters contain the heart radical 心, reflecting fear as an emotion felt deeply within.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal