Translation guide
To make someone feel afraid or scared. Japanese uses different expressions depending on whether you startle someone, instill deep fear, or threaten them.
To cause a sudden, often short-lived, fright or surprise.
The most common and versatile word for startling or scaring someone, often unintentionally or playfully.
Don't suddenly frighten me from behind.
The loud noise frightened her.
Very common in casual speech; implies causing surprise or a jump scare.
Don't purposely frighten me.
Can mean to startle or to threaten; context determines whether it's a sudden scare or intimidation.
He often frightens his friends for fun.
To cause deep, lasting fear or dread, often intentionally.
Directly means 'to make someone feel afraid'; used for both physical and psychological fear.
That story frightened the children.
His angry face frightened me.
A stronger, more formal word for causing terror or extreme fear.
The movie frightened the audience.
Implies making someone cower or tremble with fear; more literary.
The darkness frightened her.
To frighten someone into doing or not doing something, often with words or actions.
To cause someone or something to leave by scaring them.
While 怖がらせる is a direct translation, it can sound unnatural for sudden scares. Use 驚かす or びっくりさせる for startle-type frights.
驚かす (odorokasu) is for startling or surprising, often without malice. 脅す (odosu) implies a threat or intimidation, often with a demand.
They put up a scarecrow to frighten away the birds.
They frightened the family out of the house.