Chinese word

害怕

Pronunciation

Pinyinhài pà

Meaning

  • verbbe afraid

Example

别害怕，我会帮你。bié hài pà wǒ huì bāng nǐ

Don't be afraid; I'll help you.

Illustration for 害怕 (be afraid)

More examples

他因为害怕考试而没去报名。tā yīn wèi hài pà kǎo shì ér méi qù bào míng

He was afraid of the exam, so he did not go to sign up.

Core concept

A response to possible harm that brings fear, unease, and a wish to avoid the danger.

Common phrases

  • 别害怕bié hài pà

    don't be scared

  • 害怕失败hài pà shī bài

    be afraid of failure

  • 害怕考试hài pà kǎo shì

    be afraid of exams

Similar words

怕pà: Fear danger or something unpleasant, causing hesitation or a wish to avoid it.
担心dān xīn: Worry about a future event or result because something may go wrong.

Definition in Chinese

对可能造成伤害或危险的事物或情形感到恐惧和不安，常表现为想回避、紧张或退缩。duì kě néng zào chéng shāng hài huò wēi xiǎn de shì wù huò qíng xíng gǎn dào kǒng jù hé bù ān cháng biǎo xiàn wèi xiǎng huí bì jǐn zhāng huò tuì suō

Word origin

害 (hài, "harm") + 怕 (pà, "fear") forms a verb for fearing possible harm.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English "afraid of," 害怕 (hàipà, "be afraid") can take a feared person, thing, or outcome directly, without an English-style of after it.

Other meanings

  • fearverb
  • be scaredverb
  • afraidadjective

Word lists with this word