HSK · Level 50
120 words
Chinese word
吓唬
Pronunciation
Pinyinxià hǔ
Meaning
- verbscare
Example
她喜欢用故事吓唬孩子。tā xǐ huān yòng gù shì xià hǔ hái zi
She likes to scare children with stories.
More examples
别用那种突然的动作来吓唬人。bié yòng nà zhǒng tū rán de dòng zuò lái xià hǔ rén
Don't scare people with such sudden movements.
Core concept
A deliberate push toward fear, often through words or a made-up situation, used to make someone back down or behave.
Common phrases
吓唬人xià hǔ rén
scare people
吓唬孩子xià hǔ hái zi
scare children
吓唬别人xià hǔ bié rén
scare others
Similar words
吓xià: Give someone a brief fright by suddenly making them afraid.
惊吓jīng xià: Give someone a sudden, strong fright that brings surprise and fear.
恐吓kǒng hè: Use frightening words or actions to pressure someone into obeying.
威胁wēi xié: Pressure someone to obey by hinting at harm or loss.
Definition in Chinese
故意用言语、动作或情境让别人产生害怕的感觉，常见于口语。gù yì yòng yán yǔ dòng zuò huò qíng jìng ràng bié rén chǎn shēng hài pà de gǎn jué cháng jiàn yú kóu yǔ
Word origin
吓 (xià, "frighten") + 唬 (hǔ, "bluff or intimidate") forms a colloquial verb for deliberately making another person feel afraid.
Usage tips
- Unlike English scare, 吓唬 (xiàhǔ, "scare") normally describes an intentional act, so it is not the usual choice for an accidental fright.