Meanings of 懼
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About 懼
Podcast: 懼
Podcast: 懼
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AI Study Notes for 懼
惧 (jù) vs 怕 (pà) — use 懼 (jù) for a stronger sense of fear or dread compared to 怕 (pà), which conveys a more general or casual fear.
Learners often confuse 懼 with the simpler character 恐 (kǒng), which also means 'fear' but is used in less intense situations. 懼 is more formal and may be found in literary contexts or discussions about deep emotional states. Remember to use it in serious contexts to convey genuine fear.
Though not part of the HSK vocabulary list, 懼 is relevant for learners at higher levels who wish to express complex emotions. It connects well with other emotional vocabulary words, such as 恐惧 (kǒngjù), which means 'fear' or 'dread.' Focus on its applications in literature and formal discussions.
Learners may mistakenly use 懼 in informal settings where a simpler term like 怕 (pà) would suffice. For example, saying '我很懼蛇' (I fear snakes) sounds overly formal; '我怕蛇' is more natural.
Pronunciation of 懼
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Etymology of 懼
Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 具 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懼.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 懼
Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 具 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懼.
- 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half瞿 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayheart
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 懼? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 懼
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How to say to fear, to dread in Chinese
“to fear, to dread” in Chinese is懼
The character 懼 (jù) means 'to fear' or 'to dread.' It is often used in contexts involving anxiety, apprehension, or deep-seated fear. This character conveys a more intense emotion compared to simpler terms for fear in Mandarin.
When to use 懼
Learners often confuse 懼 with the simpler character 恐 (kǒng), which also means 'fear' but is used in less intense situations. 懼 is more formal and may be found in literary contexts or discussions about deep emotional states. Remember to use it in serious contexts to convey genuine fear.
懼 or something close to it
惧 (jù) vs 怕 (pà) — use 懼 (jù) for a stronger sense of fear or dread compared to 怕 (pà), which conveys a more general or casual fear.
What learners get wrong
Learners may mistakenly use 懼 in informal settings where a simpler term like 怕 (pà) would suffice. For example, saying '我很懼蛇' (I fear snakes) sounds overly formal; '我怕蛇' is more natural.
Write 懼
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Practice writing 懼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 懼
Compound Meaning
What does 恐惧 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 懼
While both mean 'fear,' 懼 is a more formal character often used in literature, whereas 恐惧 is more commonly used in everyday speech.
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