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怖
“Dreadful / Be Frightened / Fearful” in Japanese is 怖, read fu, ho, kowa (ふ, ほ, こわ, お, おそ). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 恐怖 (terror).
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What does 怖 mean?
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 怖 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Dreadful / Be Frightened / Fearful |
| Readings | ふ, ほ, こわ, お, おそ |
| Grade | Master (高手 · secondary school) |
| Curriculum | Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2) |
| Example | 恐怖 (terror) |
How to read 怖
怖 is read fu (ふ) or ho (ほ) or kowa (こわ) or o (お) or oso (おそ) depending on the word.
Words with 怖
- 恐怖
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Kanji read the same way as 怖
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
Updated: 2026-08-28