Meaning

Primary

Terrifying

Alternatives

Frightening, Dreadful

Word Type

い adjective

Explanation

This is a single kanji with an on the end, meaning you know it's probably an adjective. What's the adjective form of fear? When you really feel fear, you think something is terrifying or frightening or even dreadful.

恐ろしい can describe something that inspires deep fear or awe, often beyond normal feelings of fear. Since it can be used to create a dramatic or intense atmosphere, you might find 恐ろしい more often in literature.

Reading

おそろしい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

How terrifying is it? It's Oh so (おそ) terrifying!

Context

Context Sentences

恐ろしいと思うかもしれないが、自然の法則には逆らえないんだよ。仕方がないさ。

You may feel scared, but you can’t defy the laws of nature. It’s no use now.

Kanji Composition