恐おそる恐おそる

お

そ

る

お

そ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb

fearfully; timidly; cautiously; gingerly

Describes doing something while afraid or very carefully, often with a sense of hesitation or nervousness. Used adverbially, often with verbs of movement, touch, or speech.

彼かれ

は

恐おそ

る

恐おそ

る

ドア

を

開あ

け

た

。

He opened the door fearfully.

恐おそる恐おそる手てを伸のばして、その犬いぬに触ふれた。

I gingerly reached out and touched the dog.

Usage patterns

恐おそる恐おそる〈動どう詞し〉to do something fearfully/timidly
彼かれは恐おそる恐おそるドアを開あけた。
He timidly opened the door.
恐おそる恐おそる尋たずねるto ask something hesitantly, fearing the answer
彼かの女じょは恐おそる恐おそる先せん生せいに尋たずねた。
She hesitantly asked the teacher.
恐おそる恐おそる手てを伸のばすto reach out cautiously, as if afraid to touch something
子こ供どもは恐おそる恐おそる犬いぬに手てを伸のばした。
The child reached out cautiously toward the dog.

Kanji

恐fear, dread, awe

Related words

恐こわ々ごわ
怖々 emphasizes visible fear or trembling while doing something, whereas 恐る恐る focuses more on cautious hesitation.
おっかなびっくり
おっかなびっくり is a colloquial, slightly humorous way to describe doing something nervously, while 恐る恐る is more neutral and can be used in writing.
びくびくN1
おそるおそる describes cautiously performing an action out of fear, while びくびく describes the ongoing nervous or trembling state itself.

Written forms

恐おそる恐おそるUsage46%
Standard kanji spelling; the repetition of 恐る emphasizes the fearful, cautious manner.
おそるおそるUsage54%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji repetition feels heavy.

Etymology

Reduplication of the classical verb 恐る (osoru, 'to fear'), forming an adverbial phrase meaning 'in a fearing manner'.