唯恐 (wéi kǒng) — (formal) to fear that, to be afraid lest

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'for fear that / lest' — always followed by a feared outcome, never a standalone fear. It expresses worry that something bad might happen, more literary than everyday '怕'.

verb

(formal) to fear thatto be afraid lest

Examples

唯恐，。
Wǒ wéi kǒng tā huì shēng qì, suǒ yǐ méi gǎn shuō.
I was afraid he would get angry, so I didn't dare to say it.
唯恐，。
Tā wéi kǒng kǎo shì bù jí gé, tiān tiān fù xí dào hěn wǎn.
He feared failing the exam, so he reviewed until late every day.
唯恐，。
Wǒ men wéi kǒng chū cuò, měi yí bù dōu jiǎn chá le hǎo jǐ biàn.
We were afraid of making mistakes, so we checked every step several times.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

唯wéionly

恐kǒngfear

唯 stresses that only what 恐 fears matters, giving for fear that.

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.

口隹唯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

隹

隹zhuī唯wěi

Same sound today

The shape pairs 口 (mouth) with 隹, used for its sound. The evidence says this form originally wrote a word for a bird's cry and was later borrowed for abstract meanings.

Open 唯 →

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 →

Appears in

Emotions & Feelings