怯おびえる

お

び

え

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be frightened; be scared; be terrified

Describes a state of fear or being scared, often due to a specific cause. Can be used for both momentary fright and ongoing anxiety.

彼かれは大おおきな犬いぬに怯おびえている。
He is frightened of the big dog.
地じ震しんの後あと、子こ供

ども

たち

は

怯おび

え

て

泣な

い

て

い

た

。

After the earthquake, the children were crying in fear.

Written forms

怯おびえるUsage52%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
おびえるUsage35%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
脅おびえるUsage12%
Alternate kanji spelling, less common but still encountered.

Kanji

怯cowardice, wince, flinch
脅threaten, coerce

Similar words

怖こわがる
怖がる is a more general and common word for 'to be scared' or 'to fear', often used for everyday fears. 怯える implies a stronger, more visible state of fear or terror, often with a sense of being overwhelmed.
恐おそれる
恐れる is a more formal or literary word for 'to fear', often used for abstract fears or reverence. 怯える is more concrete and visceral, describing a visible reaction to a threat.

Etymology

The verb おびえる is a native Japanese word. The kanji 怯 carries the meaning of 'fear' or 'cowardice', and is used here as a semantic match. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.