唯恐 (wéi) — (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 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 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 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.
Appears in
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