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懼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
懼jùto fear, to dreadx, 21 strokes, radical 忄
jù(ju4)ju T4
  1. 1to fear, to dread
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March 24, 2026

懼jù(ju4)

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.

Strokes21Radical忄
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, fears and superstitions play a significant role, often linked to spiritual beliefs. The character 懼 may evoke ideas related to ancestral spirits and the fear of misfortune, reflecting the depth of emotion associated with such beliefs.

Memory tip

Imagine a person shivering in fear, with their heart racing. The character 懼 has a radical related to the heart (心) suggesting that this fear is deeply felt, while the outer structure can resemble a protective barrier, illustrating the instinct to guard oneself against what one fears.

Meanings of 懼

jù(ju4)
1to fear, to dread
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 懼

懼Simplified
21Strokes
忄Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 懼

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AI study notes for 懼

Quick Contrast

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.

Usage Notes

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.

HSK Study Tips

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.

Common Mistakes

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.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 懼

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Etymology of 懼

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 具 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懼.

Memory hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)瞿
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

懼 = 忄 + 瞿. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 懼

IDS Structure⿰忄瞿
懼Full character
=
忄xin1
left
瞿ju4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 懼?

How to say to fear, to dread in Chinese

“to fear, to dread” in Chinese is懼jù

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

懼

Practice writing 懼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 懼

Words containing this character10
恐惧kǒngjùfear恐懼
畏惧wèijùto fear畏懼
惧jùto fear懼
惧怕to be afraid懼怕
恐惧症phobia恐懼症
惊惧to be alarmed驚懼
疑惧misgivings疑懼
惧高症acrophobia懼高症
忧惧apprehension憂懼
危惧afraid危懼
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 懼

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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