脅かす・嚇かす・威かす|おどかすodokasu[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
脅かす脅かす is the most common form and the recommended choice for beginners; it is written with kanji and kana.
嚇かす嚇かす is a rarely used variant written with kanji and kana. Beginners should use 脅かす instead.
威かす威かす is a rarely used variant written with kanji and kana. Beginners should use 脅かす instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto threaten; to menace; to intimidate
- godan verb, transitive verbto startle; to frighten; to scare
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 脅かす（おどかす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 脅かします（おどかします） |
| Negative (nai) | 脅かさない（おどかさない） |
| polite (masen) | 脅かしません（おどかしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 脅かさず・脅かさぬ（おどかさず・おどかさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 脅かした（おどかした） |
| polite (mashita) | 脅かしました（おどかしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 脅かさなかった（おどかさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 脅かしませんでした（おどかしませんでした） |
| Te form | 脅かして（おどかして） |
| Potential | 脅かせる（おどかせる） |
| Passive | 脅かされる（おどかされる） |
| Causative | 脅かさせる（おどかさせる） |
| Causative passive | 脅かさせられる（おどかさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 脅かせば（おどかせば） |
| tara | 脅かしたら（おどかしたら） |
| Volitional | 脅かそう（おどかそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 脅かしましょう（おどかしましょう） |
| Imperative | 脅かせ（おどかせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym脅すおどすNeutralTo threaten someone with words or force, as in 「金を出せと脅す」; 「脅かす」 can also mean to give someone a fright.
- Synonym脅迫きょうはくWrittenA noun: threats or extortion, a legal term, as in 「脅迫罪」.
- Synonym威嚇いかくWrittenA noun: intimidating by a show of force, whether weapons, words or posture, as in 「威嚇射撃」.
- Synonym恫喝どうかつWrittenA noun: loud bullying threats, often with bluster; leans written.
- Synonym脅しつけるおどしつけるNeutralTo threaten harshly, to browbeat; stronger in tone than 「脅す」.
- Synonym威迫いはくWrittenWritten: pressuring someone through intimidation or threats; leans legal, rarely used day to day.
- Related強迫きょうはくWrittenA noun: coercion or duress, a civil-law term; in psychology also obsession or compulsion, a sense with nothing to do with frightening someone as 「脅かす」 does.
- Related恐嚇きょうかくWrittenWritten: intimidation, threats; rare in modern Japanese, where 「脅す」 is the everyday word.
- Related凄むすごむNeutralTo put on a menacing look to intimidate, as in 「低い声で凄む」; focuses on demeanor.
- AntonymなだめるNeutralTo soothe, to calm someone down; the opposite of threatening with 「脅かす」.
- Antonym優しくするやさしくするNeutralA phrase: to treat someone kindly; the opposite of intimidating with 「脅かす」.
Use 「脅かす（おどかす）」 to threaten or to startle someone. For directly threatening a person, use 「脅す」; for threats in the legal sense, 「脅迫」; for a show of force, 「威嚇」. To calm someone, use 「宥める」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
