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March 24, 2026
吓(嚇)hè(he4)
The character 吓 (hè) means to frighten or scare someone. It is commonly used in contexts where someone experiences fear or intimidation, either from a person or a situation. This character can also be used as an interjection to express astonishment or disapproval.
Strokes6Radical口Frequency#910DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, ghost stories are popular, especially during festivals like the Hungry Ghost Festival, where the concept of scaring or being scared has deep roots. The character 吓 reflects this cultural practice, as it is often used in tales of fright.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person who is so scared that they let out a 'huh!' sound. The character 吓 has the radical for 'mouth' (口) on the left, suggesting the act of expressing fear, while the right side resembles a person being startled. Visualize a scary ghost that makes you 'hè' in fright.
Meanings of 吓
hè(he4)
primary
1to scare
2to frighten
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 吓
吓Simplified
嚇Traditional
6Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#910Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 吓
Podcast: 吓
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AI Study Notes for 吓
Quick Contrast
吓 (hè) vs 惊 (jīng) — use 吓 when the focus is on causing fear in someone, while 惊 emphasizes the feeling of surprise or shock itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person who is so scared that they let out a 'huh!' sound. The character 吓 has the radical for 'mouth' (口) on the left, suggesting the act of expressing fear, while the right side resembles a person being startled. Visualize a scary ghost that makes you 'hè' in fright.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 吓 with similar characters like 恐 (kǒng) which means fear or terror. Remember that 吓 is more about the act of frightening someone rather than the feeling of fear itself. It’s used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone, as the fourth tone can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 吓 connects to other vocabulary related to emotions and reactions, such as 怕 (pà, to be afraid) and 恐惧 (kǒngjù, fear). Students should focus on using 吓 in sentences that describe experiences of fear or surprising situations to gain fluency.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, ghost stories are popular, especially during festivals like the Hungry Ghost Festival, where the concept of scaring or being scared has deep roots. The character 吓 reflects this cultural practice, as it is often used in tales of fright.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 吓 by confusing it with the verb 'to fear' (怕, pà). For example, saying '我吓这个电影' (Wǒ hè zhège diànyǐng) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我怕这个电影' (Wǒ pà zhège diànyǐng), meaning 'I am afraid of this movie.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 吓
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Grammar Patterns of 吓
吓 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 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.
Don't you realize what a scare you've given us all?
2
当我意识到自己的所作所为时，我吓坏了。
dāng wǒ yì shí dào zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi shí， ， wǒ xià huài。
I was scared stiff when I realized what I'ddone.
3
说真的，我当时吓坏了。
shuō zhēn de， ， wǒ dāng shí xià huài。
I don't mind telling you I was absolutely terrified.
4
这和我上次买的相比贵得吓人。
zhè hé wǒ shàng cì mǎi de xiāng bǐ guì dé xià rén。
This is fearfully expensive compared with the last one I bought.
5
安德鲁过去只要看见狗，无论在哪里，无论什么狗，都会吓得一动不动。
ān dé lǔ guò qù zhī yào kàn jiàn gǒu， ， wú lùn zài nǎ， lǐ ， wú lùn shí， mó gǒu ， dū huì xià dé yī。
Andrew went rigid when he saw a dog, any dog, anywhere.
6
在黑暗和嘈杂的声音中，婴儿饱受惊吓。
zài hēi àn hé cáo zá de shēng yīn zhōng， ， yīng ér bǎo shòu jīng。
The baby was filled with alarm at the darkness and the noise.
7
他有一副能把所有人都吓得那个什么滚什么流的火爆脾气。
tā yǒu yī fù néng bǎ suǒ yǒu rén dū xià dé nà gè shí mó gǔn shí mó liú de huǒ bào pí qì。
He's got that fiery temper which scares the whatsit out of everybody.
8
它真让人讨厌，快把我的狗吓死了。
tā zhēn ràng rén tǎo yàn， ， kuài bǎ wǒ de gǒu xià sǐ。
It's a blooming nuisance because it frightens my dog to death.
9
那真够吓人的。
nà zhēn gòu xià rén de。
That's really sick.
10
严重的惊吓会造成痤疮突发。
yán zhòng de jīng xià huì zào chéng cuó chuāng tū fā。
Severe shock can bring on an attack of acne.
Cultural Notes for 吓
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, ghost stories are popular, especially during festivals like the Hungry Ghost Festival, where the concept of scaring or being scared has deep roots. The character 吓 reflects this cultural practice, as it is often used in tales of fright.
Word Family of 吓
Words Containing This Character10
吓hèto scare嚇
吓坏to be really frightened嚇壞
恐吓kǒnghèto threaten恐嚇
吓唬xiàhuto scare嚇唬
惊吓to frighten驚嚇
吓倒to be frightened嚇倒
吓一跳startled嚇一跳
恫吓to intimidate恫嚇
威吓to threaten威嚇
杀鸡吓猴pour encourager les autres殺雞嚇猴
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 吓 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吓
Some synonyms for 吓 include 威胁 (wēixié), which means 'to threaten,' and 恐吓 (kǒnghè), meaning 'to intimidate.' These words can be used in similar contexts where fear or intimidation is involved.
Yes, 吓 is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially to express surprise or fear. For example, you might hear it when someone is startled or when discussing something frightening.
吓 (hè, xià) means 'to scare' or 'to frighten.' It can also imply intimidating or threatening someone. In addition, it can be used as an interjection to express disapproval or astonishment.
To use 吓 in a sentence, you can say 吓我一跳 (xià wǒ yī tiào), which means 'It scared me.' You can also use it to express that someone has intimidated or frightened another person, like 我被吓到了 (wǒ bèi xià dào le) meaning 'I was frightened.'
You can use it like this: '他吓了我一跳' (Tā hè le wǒ yī tiào) meaning 'He scared me.'
No, 吓 can also describe being astonished, like saying '吓到我了' (Hè dào wǒ le), meaning 'I was shocked.'
Common phrases include '吓唬' (hèhu) meaning 'to frighten' and '吓一跳' (hè yī tiào) meaning 'to give someone a fright.'
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