恫喝・恫愒|どうかつdoukatsu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
恫喝恫喝 is the most common written form and the one learners should normally choose when writing this word.
恫愒恫愒 is a kanji spelling you will seldom encounter; learners should choose 恫喝 instead when writing.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbintimidation; threat; bluster
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 恫喝する（どうかつする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 恫喝します（どうかつします） |
| Negative (nai) | 恫喝しない（どうかつしない） |
| polite (masen) | 恫喝しません（どうかつしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 恫喝せず・恫喝せぬ（どうかつせず・どうかつせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 恫喝した（どうかつした） |
| polite (mashita) | 恫喝しました（どうかつしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 恫喝しなかった（どうかつしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 恫喝しませんでした（どうかつしませんでした） |
| Te form | 恫喝して（どうかつして） |
| Potential | 恫喝できる（どうかつできる） |
| Passive | 恫喝される（どうかつされる） |
| Causative | 恫喝させる（どうかつさせる） |
| Causative passive | 恫喝させられる（どうかつさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 恫喝すれば（どうかつすれば） |
| tara | 恫喝したら（どうかつしたら） |
| Volitional | 恫喝しよう（どうかつしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 恫喝しましょう（どうかつしましょう） |
| Imperative | 恫喝しろ（どうかつしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym脅しおどしCasualColloquial noun for threatening words or acts, as in 「脅しに屈する」; more everyday in tone than 「恫喝」.
- Synonym脅迫きょうはくWrittenFormal word for threatening someone with harm to force compliance; also a crime under the penal code. More formal than 「恫喝」.
- Synonym威嚇いかくWrittenWritten word for scaring by displaying force, as in 「威嚇射撃」; it leans toward a show of strength to deter rather than coercion.
- Synonym脅かしおどかしCasualColloquial noun for frightening someone to make them obey; everyday speech, in contrast to the formal 「恫喝」.
- Synonym脅かすおどかすCasualColloquial verb to frighten or scare someone; it also means to startle, and its tone is lighter than 「恫喝」.
- Synonym恐嚇きょうかくWrittenWritten word for frightening someone into fear; synonymous with 「恫喝」 but rare, appearing almost only in prose.
- Synonym威迫いはくWrittenRare even in written prose; stresses pressing someone with intimidating power and leans toward legal usage.
- Related脅すおどすCasualThe common colloquial verb: to threaten or frighten someone into submitting; the everyday word of choice instead of 「恫喝」.
- Related強迫きょうはくWrittenWritten word for forcing someone to do something; leans civil-law usage (the penal-code term is 「脅迫」), and also covers obsessive compulsion.
- Related脅喝きょうかつWrittenRare written word for threatening someone by gripping their weakness or secret — blackmail with leverage, narrower than 「恫喝」.
- Antonym懐柔かいじゅうWrittenAntonym: winning someone over with benefits or gentle means until they act as you wish — the opposite of 「恫喝」's harsh intimidation.
- Antonym宥和ゆうわWrittenAntonym: appeasement — overlooking an adversary's hostility and accepting them to make peace, the opposite of intimidating with 「恫喝」.
Use 「恫喝」 for frightening people with an overbearing show of power or forceful words, as in 「部下を恫喝する」「恫喝外交」. In everyday speech say 「脅す」. For threatening someone with harm to force compliance use 「脅迫」, and for a show of force to deter use 「威嚇」; the remaining words are rare, written, or narrower terms.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
