A somewhat literary or formal noun for a feeling of fear or dread. Often used in set phrases like 恐れ気もなく (fearlessly, without showing fear).
He went into the dark forest without any sign of fear.
Upon hearing the news, a look of fear crossed her face.
fearlessly; boldly; without showing fear
Standard kanji spelling.
Abbreviated kanji form; less common.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; rare.
Compound of 恐れ (fear) + 気 (sign, feeling). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys a sense of 'air of fear'.