Meaning and Usage
恐れる (おそれる) means "to fear" or "to be afraid of." It is used to express a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that might happen or something dangerous.
Common Contexts
This verb is often used in situations involving fear of failure, natural disasters, illness, or other threats. It can describe both emotional fear and cautious concern.
Collocations and Patterns
- 恐れる＋名詞 (e.g., 恐れる失敗): to fear something specific
- 恐れて＋動詞 (e.g., 恐れて挑戦しない): to avoid doing something because of fear
- 恐れて～する (e.g., 恐れて病院に行く): to take action because of fear
Register and Nuance
恐れる is somewhat formal and often found in written or polite speech. In casual conversation, people might use 怖がる (こわがる) instead for expressing fear.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 恐れる with 怖がる. 恐れる often implies a deeper or more serious fear, sometimes about abstract or future threats, while 怖がる is more about immediate or visible fear reactions. Use 恐れる when talking about fearing something that might happen or is serious.