恐怕 (kǒng pà) — (verb) to fear, to dread; (adverb) I'm afraid that...; perhaps (polite, cautious speculation)

Definition

As an adverb, 恐怕 is a polite, cautious 'I'm afraid… / perhaps' — softer than 怕's blunt 'maybe', more tentative than 可能 ('possibly'). The verb sense 'to fear' is rare and formal.

verb
to fearto dread
adverb
I'm afraid that...perhaps (polite, cautious speculation)

Examples

  • 恐怕，。
    Tā kǒng pà chí dào, suǒ yǐ jīn tiān qǐ dé hěn zǎo.
    He was afraid of being late, so he got up very early today.
  • 恐怕，。
    kǒng pà Míng tiān huì xià yǔ, nǐ dài sǎn ba.
    I'm afraid it might rain tomorrow. Take an umbrella.
  • 恐怕。
    kǒng pà Tā bú huì tóng yì wǒ men de jì huà.
    I'm afraid he won't agree with our plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

恐kǒngfear
怕pàfear

From 恐 and 怕, both meaning fear, giving dread and a cautious polite sense.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢀜
𢀜𢀜恐kǒng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恐 is written with 心 (heart). The older form pairs 心 with 𢀜; the modern form can be read as 巩 above 心.

Open 恐 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái怕pà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怕 pairs 心 (heart) with 白, which gives the sound.

Open 怕 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Attitudes & OpinionsEmotions & Feelings2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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