Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
唬hǔ(hu3)
The character 唬 (hǔ) means to intimidate or scare someone, often through a loud or fierce action. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is trying to instill fear or assert dominance, such as in competitive situations or when telling stories about frightening experiences.
Strokes11Radical口Frequency#11519DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of scaring someone is often associated with traditional storytelling, where exaggerated fear is used to engage audiences, especially during festivals or gatherings.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tiger roaring (the sound associated with the character 'hǔ') to scare its prey. The character 唬 resembles a mouth (口) yelling loudly, emphasizing the act of scaring someone with a powerful roar.
Meanings of 唬
hǔ(hu3)
1to intimidate; to scare
2a tiger's roar
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 唬
唬Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 唬
Podcast: 唬
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 唬
Quick Contrast
威 (wēi) vs 恐 (kǒng) — choose 唬 (hǔ) when emphasizing intimidation through loudness or fierceness, while 威 (wēi) focuses on authority and power, and 恐 (kǒng) conveys fear itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a tiger roaring (the sound associated with the character 'hǔ') to scare its prey. The character 唬 resembles a mouth (口) yelling loudly, emphasizing the act of scaring someone with a powerful roar.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 唬 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is generally used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Common collocations include phrases like 唬人 (hǔ rén - to intimidate someone) or 唬住 (hǔ zhù - to scare into submission).
HSK Study Tips
Although 唬 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it relates to vocabulary around emotions and actions that convey fear. Students at this level should focus on recognizing the character and understanding its usage in everyday conversation.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of scaring someone is often associated with traditional storytelling, where exaggerated fear is used to engage audiences, especially during festivals or gatherings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 唬 with the character 胡 (hú), which means 'nonsensical' or 'reckless'. For example, saying '他很胡我' (Tā hěn hú wǒ) instead of '他在唬我' (Tā zài hǔ wǒ) would be incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 唬
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 唬 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 唬 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 唬
唬 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 3
Complete the Sentence
那其实是____人的话。
It was more of an idle threat than anything.
Example Sentences for 唬 (2)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那其实是唬人的话。
nà qí shí shì hǔ rén de huà。
It was more of an idle threat than anything.
2
人们还在给他们的孩子们讲那些恐怖女警察吓唬人的弱智故事吗？
rén mén huán zài gěi tā mén de hái zǐ mén jiǎng nà xiē kǒng bù nǚ jǐng chá xià hǔ rén de ruò zhì gù shì ma？
Did people still tell their kids imbecilic scare stories about bogey policewomen?
Exercise 1 of 1
Reorder the Sentence
It was more of an idle threat than anything.
Tap tokens to build the sentence
Cultural Notes for 唬
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the act of scaring someone is often associated with traditional storytelling, where exaggerated fear is used to engage audiences, especially during festivals or gatherings.
Word Family of 唬
Words Containing This Character3
吓唬xiàhuto scare嚇唬
唬hǔto scare
诈唬to bluff詐唬
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 吓唬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 唬
You can say '他用大声的喊叫来唬我' (Tā yòng dà shēng de hǎnjiào lái hǔ wǒ), meaning 'He scared me with a loud shout.'
唬 is considered informal, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing.
Synonyms include 惊吓 (jīngxià - to frighten) and 威胁 (wēixié - to threaten), though each has its own nuance.
