Meaning and Usage
The adjective 怖い (こわい) means "scary" or "frightening." It is commonly used to describe things, situations, or feelings that cause fear or unease. It can refer to physical fear, like scary movies or dark places, as well as emotional fear, such as fear of being alone.
Common Collocations
- 怖い映画 (こわいえいが): scary movie
- 怖い話 (こわいはなし): scary story
- 怖い顔 (こわいかお): scary face
- 怖い思いをする (こわいおもいをする): to have a scary experience
These collocations are frequently used in everyday conversation and media.
Register and Politeness
怖い is a standard adjective and can be used in both casual and polite speech. For polite contexts, add です or ですか as needed.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 怖い with 恐ろしい (おそろしい), which is a more formal or literary word for "terrifying." 怖い is more common in daily conversation. Also, avoid mixing 怖い with expressions that require different adjectives for fear, such as 恥ずかしい (embarrassed) or 嫌い (dislike).
Summary
Use 怖い to describe anything that causes fear or fright in everyday situations. It is versatile and appears often in spoken and written Japanese, especially when talking about scary experiences, movies, or feelings.