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恐る恐る (osoruosoru) Japanese meaning: fearfully | Kotomora
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かれ
は
恐おそ
る
恐おそ
る
ドア
を
開あ
け
た
。
He opened the door fearfully.
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
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
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
The child reached out cautiously toward the dog.
Related words 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 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.
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 Usage 46%
Standard kanji spelling; the repetition of 恐る emphasizes the fearful, cautious manner.
おそるおそる Usage 54%
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'.
