# 怖 — frightening; fear

怖 means “frightening; fear”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: フ (fu). Kun'yomi: こわ(い) (kowai). You'll see it in words such as 怖い (kowai, “scary; frightening”).

- Meaning: frightening; fear
- On'yomi: フ (fu)
- Kun'yomi: こわ(い) (kowai)
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Feelings 2

## How to remember 怖

A heart (忄) hiding under cloth (布): frightened.

Sounds like 布: both read フ.

Parts: 忄 heart · 布 cloth

## Words with 怖

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 怖い | こわい (kowai) | scary; frightening |
| 怖がる | こわがる (kowagaru) | to be afraid; to fear |

## Don't confuse it with

[布](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/cloth/) · [希](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/aspire/)

## More in the “Feelings 2” set

[嫌](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/dislike/) · [恋](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/romantic-love/) · [怖](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/frightening/) · [泣](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/cry/) · [涙](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/tears/) · [忙](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/busy/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/frightening/. Last updated 2026-11-01.