恐れる・怖れる・畏れる・懼れる|おそれるosoreru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
恐れるFor beginners, 恐れる（おそれる） is the default written form and the most common choice.
怖れる怖れる（おそれる） is less common than 恐れる（おそれる）; recognize it as a written variant, but beginners should generally choose 恐れる（おそれる）.
畏れる畏れる（おそれる） is a rarely used written variant of 恐れる（おそれる）; beginners will seldom need to choose it.
懼れる懼れる（おそれる） is a rarely used written variant of 恐れる（おそれる）; beginners will seldom need to choose it.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto fear; to be afraid of大人はしばしば変化を恐れる。↗Older people often fear change.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 恐れる（おそれる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 恐れます（おそれます） |
| Negative (nai) | 恐れない（おそれない） |
| polite (masen) | 恐れません（おそれません） |
| classical zu / nu | 恐れず・恐れぬ（おそれず・おそれぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 恐れた（おそれた） |
| polite (mashita) | 恐れました（おそれました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 恐れなかった（おそれなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 恐れませんでした（おそれませんでした） |
| Te form | 恐れて（おそれて） |
| Potential | 恐れられる（おそれられる） |
| Passive | 恐れられる（おそれられる） |
| Causative | 恐れさせる（おそれさせる） |
| Causative passive | 恐れさせられる（おそれさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 恐れれば（おそれれば） |
| tara | 恐れたら（おそれたら） |
| Volitional | 恐れよう（おそれよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 恐れましょう（おそれましょう） |
| Imperative | 恐れろ（おそれろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym怖がるこわがるNeutralDescribes visible fear, often in others or children; 「恐れる」 is about inner fear and also worrying that something bad may happen.
- Synonym危ぶむあやぶむWrittenTo have misgivings about whether something will succeed, in fairly formal style, as in 「成功を危ぶむ」; stresses doubting the outcome.
- Synonym恐怖きょうふNeutralA noun for intense fear or terror; 「恐れる」 is the verb.
- Synonym恐るおそるWrittenArchaic conjugation; today it survives only in set phrases like 「恐るべき」 and 「恐るに足りない」. Say 「恐れる」 in everyday speech.
- SynonymビクつくCasualColloquial: to be jittery and timid, focusing on fearful behavior; 「恐れる」 is about the inner feeling.
- Related懸念けねんWrittenWorry over a problem that may arise; common in news reports and official writing. 「恐れる」 expresses fear more directly.
- Related心配しんぱいNeutralThe everyday word for worrying about something specific; 「恐れる」 is stronger, centered on fear itself.
- Related憂慮ゆうりょWrittenDeep concern over a grave situation, often national or social issues; 「恐れる」 is more personal.
- Related危惧きぐWrittenFear that things will turn bad, as in 「絶滅危惧種」 or 「先行きを危惧する」; 「恐れる」 can also express fear of people or things.
- Related憂えるうれえるWrittenWritten style: worry over one's future, health and the like; can also mean to lament. 「恐れる」 centers on fear.
- Related畏怖いふWrittenAwe mixed with fear toward a powerful presence, such as gods or nature; 「恐れる」 has this sense too when written 「畏れる」.
- Related不安がるふあんがるNeutralShows outward unease or anxiety; the emphasis is on visible behavior, while 「恐れる」 is about the fear itself.
- Related疑懼ぎくWrittenRare written word for holding both doubt and fear; normally say 「恐れる」 or 「不安に思う」.
- Related憂懼ゆうくWrittenRare written word for anxious dread; normally say 「恐れる」 or 「心配する」.
- Related案ずるあんずるWrittenWritten style: to worry about someone, as in 「身を案ずる」; also to devise a plan. 「恐れる」 centers on fear.
- Related危懼きくWrittenRead 「きく」; a rare written word close in meaning to 「危惧」. Use 「危惧」 in everyday contexts.
- Related畏懼いくWrittenRare written word for reverent fear; normally say 「畏れる」 or 「畏怖」.
- Related焦慮しょうりょWrittenWritten style: fretting and impatience, stressing burning anxiety; 「恐れる」 centers on fear.
- Related憂患ゆうかんWrittenWritten style: distress and troubles, mostly in set phrases; 「恐れる」 is a verb.
- Antonym平気へいきNeutralCalm and unconcerned, unbothered — the opposite of the fear expressed by 「恐れる」.
- Antonym恐れないNeutralNot being afraid, fearless — simply the negative form of 「恐れる」.
Use 「恐れる」 for fearing or dreading something, or worrying that something bad may happen. Show fear outwardly with 「怖がる」, worry about something specific with 「心配」, voice concern in news or official writing with 「懸念」, and awe toward gods or nature with 「畏怖」. The other written-style words (憂慮, 危惧, 憂える, 危ぶむ, etc.) are formal ways to express worry or apprehension; 恐怖 is the noun for intense fear, while 「恐れない」 and 「平気」 are the opposites.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
