JLPT N3 · Japanese kanji
怖 — dreadful
- Reading
- フ・ホ・こわ.い・こわ.がる・お.じる・おそ.れる
- Meaning
- dreadful; be frightened; fearful
- JLPT level
- N3
- Language
- Japanese
About this kanji
怖 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N3 level. Its primary reading is フ・ホ・こわ.い・こわ.がる・お.じる・おそ.れる and it means dreadful; be frightened; fearful. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.
怖 appears in everyday japanese words such as 恐怖 (be afraid) and 怖い (frightening).
Japanese words containing 怖
Frequently asked questions
What does 怖 mean in Japanese?
怖 means dreadful; be frightened; fearful in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N3 kanji every learner meets at that level.
How is 怖 read?
怖 is read フ・ホ・こわ.い・こわ.がる・お.じる・おそ.れる. Reading it inside real words — 恐怖 and 怖い — is the fastest way to remember it.
What level is 怖 — is it JLPT N3?
Yes. 怖 is on the official JLPT N3 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.
How do you use 怖 in a word?
A common word containing 怖 is 恐怖 (きょうふ) — "be afraid". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.
How do I learn 怖 effectively?
Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 怖 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.
More JLPT N3 kanji
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