恐れる

• Reading: おそれる
• Romaji: osoreru
• Kanji breakdown: 恐 (oso/kyou) — fear, dread
• Pronunciation: /o.so.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To fear; to be afraid of. Feeling dread or anxiety about something threatening or dangerous.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る. More literary and formal than 怖い (kowai). The noun form 恐れ (osore) means 'fear' or 'risk' and appears in compounds like 恐れ入りますが (excuse me, but...). Often used in written language, news, and formal speech. The related expression 恐れがある means 'there is a risk that...'.

Examples

1. 多くの人が地震を恐れている。 Many people fear earthquakes.
2. 失敗を恐れていたら何も始められない。 If you're afraid of failure, you'll never get anything started.
3. 彼は何も恐れない強い人だ。 He's a strong person who fears nothing.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, news, psychology

Tone: serious

Origin & History

The kanji 恐 combines a hand holding a tool (工) over a heart (心) with an element of striking — something causing the heart to tremble. Conveys the visceral physical reaction to fear.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal