Common word› JLPT N1 › Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation 脅す · godan verb (-su)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 脅おど す 脅おど さない Polite 脅おど します 脅おど しません Past polite 脅おど しました 脅おど しませんでした Past 脅おど した 脅おど さなかった Te-form 脅おど して 脅おど さないで Desire 脅おど したい 脅おど したくない Potential 脅おど せる 脅おど せない Passive 脅おど される 脅おど されない Causative 脅おど させる 脅おど させない Causative passive 脅おど させられる 脅おど させられない Volitional 脅おど そう Polite volitional 脅おど しましょう Imperative 脅おど せ 脅おど すな Conditional 脅おど せば 脅おど さなければ Tara conditional 脅おど したら 脅おど さなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 を 脅おど す to threaten someone
The man threatened the clerk with a knife.
〈 人ひと 〉 を 脅おど して 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 させる to threaten someone into doing something
They threatened the president into handing over the money.
〈 物もの 〉 で 脅おど す to threaten (someone) with something
The criminal threatened the hostage with a gun.
Kanji 威 intimidate, dignity, majesty 嚇 menacing, dignity, majesty Related words 脅す is used specifically for threatening someone to coerce them into an action, while 脅かす can also simply mean to startle or surprise someone without any coercive intent.
脅迫する is a formal, often legal term for making threats (as in a criminal charge), whereas 脅す is the everyday verb for threatening someone.
威嚇する emphasizes intimidating display or posturing (like brandishing a weapon) to scare someone, while 脅す focuses on the verbal or coercive act of threatening.
脅す is the verb 'to threaten'; どす (sense 2) is a noun derived from it describing the menacing quality of a voice or manner.
脅す is a direct, often verbal threat used to coerce someone, while 脅かす can be more indirect, abstract, or even unintentional.
Word family threat; intimidation · bird-scaring device; scarecrow; scare gun
persuasion by tears; sob story; using tears to get one's way
extort; blackmail
threatening words; intimidating language
threaten; intimidate; frighten
Written forms 脅おど す Usage 81%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
おどす Usage 13%
威おど す Usage 5%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
嚇おど す Usage 1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
Etymology The origin is uncertain. The kanji 脅 is conventionally associated with threatening or intimidating meanings.
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