Definition
惶恐 is a formal, literary stative verb that describes an intense, anxious fear — stronger and more literary than 害怕 or 恐惧. You'll often see it in written narratives, formal speeches, or to express deep unease before a superior or in a crisis. It can be used as a predicate (心中惶恐) or attributively (惶恐的眼神).
s.v.
terrifiedpanic-stricken (formal/literary)
Examples
- ，惶恐。Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, tā liǎn shàng lùchū huáng kǒng de shénqíng.Upon hearing the news, his face showed a terrified expression.
- ，惶恐。Miànduì lǎoshī de zhìwèn, tā xīnzhōng huáng kǒng bù'ān.Facing the teacher's interrogation, he felt panicked and uneasy inside.
- ，惶恐。Qīhēi de yè lǐ, tā dúzì yì rén gǎndào shífēn huáng kǒng.In the pitch-black night, she felt utterly terrified alone.
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