How do you say "terrified" in Chinese?

害怕

hài pà

Adjective Hanzi

In Chinese, "terrified" is 害怕 (hài pà).

Listen to the pronunciation:

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Pronunciation

When you say hài pà, lead with "hài" snapped down sharply (fourth tone), then "pà" snapped down sharply (fourth tone).

Writing and usage

害怕 is written using hanzi. It's a adjective, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

他害怕那响亮的雷声。

tā hài pà nà xiǎng liàng de léi shēng 。

He was terrified of the loud thunder.

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How to remember 害怕

Hold this scene in mind: terrified, paired tightly with the sound "hài pà" — that's the whole trick.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 害怕

How do you pronounce 害怕?

When you say hài pà, lead with "hài" snapped down sharply (fourth tone), then "pà" snapped down sharply (fourth tone).

Is 害怕 formal or casual?

害怕 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 害怕 used in Chinese?

害怕 is used the same way as the equivalent English adjective. For example: 他害怕那响亮的雷声。 (He was terrified of the loud thunder.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Terrified" in other languages

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This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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