Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
恐kǒng(kong3)
The character 恐 (kǒng) means 'to fear' or 'to be afraid.' It is commonly used to express feelings of fear or apprehension towards something, whether that be an object, situation, or even an abstract concept. This character can also appear in compound words, deepening its meaning in specific contexts, such as 恐惧 (kǒngjù), which means 'fear' or 'terror.'
Strokes10Radical心Frequency#5145DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, fear is often discussed in relation to respect—fear of authority, tradition, or the unknown is a common theme in literature and philosophy. This character may appear in discussions about societal norms and expectations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing in front of a giant, looming shadow (representing fear). The character 恐 has the radical 心 (heart) at the bottom, indicating that fear is an emotion felt in the heart. The pronunciation 'kǒng' can be remembered by thinking of 'conquering' your fears, as you need to conquer fear to move forward.
Meanings of 恐
kǒng(kong3)
1afraid
2frightened
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 恐 means.
About 恐
恐Simplified
10Strokes
心Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#5145Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恐
Podcast: 恐
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 恐
Quick Contrast
恐 (kǒng, to fear) vs 畏 (wèi, to dread) — use 恐 for general fear, while 畏 implies a deeper, more profound fear often related to respect or awe.
Usage Notes
It's important to use 恐 in contexts that genuinely reflect fear, as using it too casually can sound overly dramatic. Common collocations include 恐惧 (fear) and 恐怖 (horrific). Be cautious with the tones; mispronouncing kǒng can lead to confusion with other words.
HSK Study Tips
Although 恐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is useful for learners to understand emotional expressions. Students should connect it to other emotional characters such as 怒 (nù, anger) and 喜 (xǐ, joy) to build a deeper understanding of expressing feelings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 恐 with 惧 (jù), which also means fear but has a more formal tone. For example, saying '我感到惧' (I feel fear) is less common; instead, use '我感到恐惧'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恐
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 恐 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 恐 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 恐?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 恐 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
恐 = 心 + 巩. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 恐
IDS Structure⿱巩心
恐Full Character
=
巩gong3
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 恐?
How to say afraid in Chinese
“afraid” in Chinese is恐kǒng
The character 恐 (kǒng) means 'to fear' or 'to be afraid.' It is commonly used to express feelings of fear or apprehension towards something, whether that be an object, situation, or even an abstract concept. This character can also appear in compound words, deepening its meaning in specific contexts, such as 恐惧 (kǒngjù), which means 'fear' or 'terror.'
When to use 恐
It's important to use 恐 in contexts that genuinely reflect fear, as using it too casually can sound overly dramatic. Common collocations include 恐惧 (fear) and 恐怖 (horrific). Be cautious with the tones; mispronouncing kǒng can lead to confusion with other words.
恐 or something close to it
恐 (kǒng, to fear) vs 畏 (wèi, to dread) — use 恐 for general fear, while 畏 implies a deeper, more profound fear often related to respect or awe.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 恐 with 惧 (jù), which also means fear but has a more formal tone. For example, saying '我感到惧' (I feel fear) is less common; instead, use '我感到恐惧'.
Write 恐
恐
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 恐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 恐
恐 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Many people were trampled in the panic that followed.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 恐?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Cultural Notes for 恐
💡Did you know?
The character '恐' combines the heart component (心) with the radical for fear, representing the emotional state of fear stemming from the heart.
📜Proverb
In Chinese culture, there is a saying: '心中有恐，必有恐惧', meaning 'If there is fear in the heart, there will certainly be dread.' This reflects the deep connection between emotions and mental states.
Word Family of 恐
Words Containing This Character20
恐怖kǒngbùterrible
恐怕kǒngpàfear
恐惧kǒngjùfear恐懼
恐kǒngafraid
恐慌kǒnghuāngpanic
恐吓kǒnghèto threaten恐嚇
恐龙kǒnglóngdinosaur恐龍
反恐anti-terrorism
恐怖主义terrorism恐怖主義
惊恐to be alarmed驚恐
恐惧症phobia恐懼症
惶恐terrified
恐怖组织terrorist organization恐怖組織
争先恐后zhēngxiānkǒnghòustriving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another爭先恐後
有恃无恐secure in the knowledge that one has backing有恃無恐
恐怖片horror movie
惟恐lest
诚惶诚恐in fear and trepidation (idiom); in reverence before your majesty (court formula of humility)誠惶誠恐
恐怖症phobia
白色恐怖White Terror
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 恐
What does 恐怖 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 恐
Yes, 恐 (kǒng) is used in everyday language, particularly in contexts discussing fear and anxiety. It is also present in various idiomatic expressions and can be encountered in literature and media.
Common phrases that include 恐 (kǒng) are '恐惧' (kǒngjù), meaning 'fear' or 'terror,' and '恐怖' (kǒngbù), meaning 'horror' or 'terror.' These phrases are often used in discussions about emotions and experiences related to fear.
恐 (kǒng) means 'to fear' or 'to be afraid.' It is commonly used to express feelings of fear or fright. This character can also appear in various phrases and compounds related to fear.
You can use 恐 (kǒng) in sentences like '我很恐惧' (wǒ hěn kǒngjù), meaning 'I am very afraid.' It can also be used in phrases like '恐怕' (kǒngpà), which means 'I'm afraid that...' to express concern about something.
Common phrases include 恐惧 (kǒngjù) meaning 'fear' and 恐怖 (kǒngbù) meaning 'horror' or 'terror.'
The correct pronunciation is 'kǒng' with a third tone, which dips and then rises.
It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of tone and appropriateness based on the situation.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 恐?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
