Translation guide
Describes something that causes intense fear, shock, or disgust. Japanese has several words that overlap with 'horrifying' but differ in nuance, from sheer terror to moral revulsion.
Something so frightening it shocks or paralyzes you.
The most common and versatile word for 'frightening' or 'terrifying'. Can be used for both physical danger and emotional dread.
That accident was truly horrifying.
Everyday word for 'scary' or 'frightening'. Less intense than 恐ろしい, but still covers many 'horrifying' situations in casual speech.
That story is really horrifying, isn't it?
Literary/formal verb meaning 'to shudder with fear'. Often used in written descriptions of something deeply horrifying.
I shuddered at the horrifying sight.
Something so cruel, violent, or disgusting that it horrifies you morally.
Strong word for something repulsive, hideous, or morally disgusting. Often used for atrocities or gruesome scenes.
The crime was horrifying.
Same reading as おぞましい but often written with this kanji. Emphasizes the feeling of disgust and dread.
Means 'cruel', 'brutal', or 'ghastly'. Often used for tragic or pitiless situations.
Loanword from English 'grotesque'. Used for visually horrifying, distorted, or bizarre imagery.
Used informally to mean something is shockingly bad, ugly, or awful.
恐ろしい (osoroshii) is the strongest for fear/dread. 怖い (kowai) is everyday 'scary'. おぞましい (ozomashii) is for moral revulsion or disgust. Use 恐ろしい for life-threatening horror, おぞましい for atrocities, and 怖い for common fears.
The direct loanword ホリファイング (horifaingu) is not standard Japanese. Use native words or established loanwords like グロテスク instead.
A horrifying incident occurred.
They were killed in a horrifying way.
That movie has too many horrifying scenes.
あの料理は最悪だった。
That food was horrifying.