Meanings of 唬
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About 唬
Podcast: 唬
Podcast: 唬
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AI Study Notes for 唬
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.
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).
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.
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.
Pronunciation of 唬
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Etymology of 唬
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 虎 represents the sound.
mouth
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 唬
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 虎 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half虎 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaymouth
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 唬? 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 唬
Identify the Components
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How to say to intimidate; to scare in Chinese
“to intimidate; to scare” in Chinese is唬
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.
When to use 唬
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).
唬 or something close to it
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.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 唬
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Practice writing 唬 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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.
Complete the Sentence
那其实是____人的话。
It was more of an idle threat than anything.
Example Sentences for 唬 (2)
Reorder the Sentence
It was more of an idle threat than anything.
Word Family of 唬
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.'
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