How to say "frighten" in Japanese

• 脅かすおびやかすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'frighten' as intimidation: making someone afraid so that they feel threatened or cowed. Read おびやかす; think of a bully who keeps a classmate living in fear rather than a one-off startle.
• 脅すおどすJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbReally 'to threaten' or 'menace': frightening someone into doing something, fear used as leverage, as when demanding money under threat. For plain 'frighten' with no coercion, this is seldom the word you want.
  彼かれはそれを公表こうひょうすると脅おどした。↗

  He threatened to make it public.
• 驚かすおどろかすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbMainly 'to surprise': use it when someone is startled because something caught them off guard, the fright being a byproduct of the surprise. It is not the word for deliberate intimidation or threats.
  その靴くつの値段ねだんの高たかさには驚おどろかされた。↗

  I was surprised at how expensive the shoes were.
• 脅かすおどかすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'frighten' as startle or scare: frightening someone suddenly rather than intimidating them, as when you sneak up and jump out. Same written form as the intimidation word, but read おどかす.
  脅おどかさないでよ。↗

  Don't scare me like that!

Use 「脅かす」（おびやかす） for intimidating someone into fear, 「脅す」 for frightening someone into doing something, 「驚かす」 when the fright is essentially a surprise, and 「脅かす」（おどかす） for a sudden startle or scare.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 脅かすおびやかすto intimidate
• 脅すおどすto threaten
• 驚かすおどろかすto surprise
• 震駭させるしんがいさせるto frighten
• 脅しつけるおどしつけるto threaten
• 驚かせるおどろかせるto surprise
• 圧倒あっとうto intimidate
• 脅かすおどかすto startle