About
The character 吓, meaning to frighten or scare, derives from its traditional form 嚇, a phono-semantic construction where the mouth radical 口 signifies sound or speech and 赫 serves as a phonetic element related to its historical pronunciation. Initially representing a loud, intimidating shout, the character's meaning gradually expanded to cover any act of causing fear or alarm. In its simplified incarnation, the phonetic component is replaced by 下, which echoes the modern pronunciation xià while also evoking the idea of something being lowered or subdued, thus reflecting the emotional impact of being startled. This structural change aligns with a semantic progression from specific vocal threats to a more general sense of sudden fear.
Example Sentences Hide
请不要吓我。
这个故事很吓人。
他喜欢吓唬小孩。
突然的声音吓了我一跳。
别用鬼故事吓唬人。
她被吓得大声尖叫。
这部电影的恐怖镜头吓坏了不少观众。
突如其来的雷声把孩子们吓得躲进了屋里。