About
The character "唬" is structured with the mouth radical "口" on the left and the component "虎" meaning tiger on the right, indicating its etymological basis in vocal expression associated with a tiger's menacing roar. Initially, the character conveyed the act of intimidating or frightening through sound or threat, directly linked to the tiger's formidable nature. Over time, its meaning expanded to include the concept of bluffing or deceiving by employing empty threats, thereby incorporating a layer of pretense into its semantic range while still relating to causing alarm. The composition has consistently integrated these elements, with "虎" providing both phonetic and semantic clues to the character's evolution from literal intimidation to verbal deception.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
你别吓唬小孩子。
他喜欢吓唬别人。
你别用鬼故事唬我。
这种话唬不了我。
他试图唬住我们，但我们不怕。
他的威胁只是唬人的把戏。
昨天他唬我说考试很难。
尽管他竭力唬我们，我们却毫不动摇。