怖

JLPT N3

Scary

Readings

On’yomi: フ (fu)

Kun’yomi: こわ(い), こわ(がる) (kowa(i), kowa(garu))

• こわ(い) – scary, frightening • こわ(がる) – to be afraid of

Structure

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Detailed Explanation

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Mnemonic

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Etymology

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Visual Tip

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Vocabulary

怖い

こわい

scary

恐怖

きょうふ

fear

怖がる

こわがる

be afraid

怖気

おじけ

cowardice

怖々

こわごわ

timidly

Example Sentences

映画が怖いです。

えいががこわいです。

The movie is scary.

恐怖を感じます。

きょうふをかんじます。

I feel fear.

子供が怖がります。

こどもがこわがります。

The child gets scared.

怖気づきます。

おじけづきます。

I lose courage.

怖々歩きます。

こわごわあるきます。

I walk timidly.

Cultural Note

👻 In Japan, 怖い doesn’t only describe physical fear — it’s also used emotionally (“怖い顔” = scary face, “怖い先生” = strict teacher). The word appears often in ghost stories (怪談 – かいだん) and summer horror traditions, believed to help cool the body by giving “chills.”