Japanese symbol for “dread”
恐怖
きょうふ
Romaji: kyoufu
fear; dread; dismay; terror
In Japanese, dread is 恐怖, read きょうふ (kyoufu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, vi, vs fear; dread; dismay; terror; horror; scare
Written forms: 恐怖. Readings: きょうふ、くふ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “dread”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 畏怖 | いふ ifu | awe; fear; dread |
| 怯え | おびえ obie | fear; dread; fright |
| 怖気 | おぞけ ozoke | fear; dread; fright |
| 恐惶 | きょうこう kyoukou | fear; dread; consternation |
| 憂懼 | ゆうく yuuku | fear; apprehension; dread |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恐れ | おそれ osore | fear; horror; anxiety |
| 恐ろしい | おそろしい osoroshii | terrible; dreadful; terrifying |
| 恐らく | おそらく osoraku | probably; (most) likely; in all likelihood |
| 恐れる | おそれる osoreru | to fear; to be afraid of |
| 恐竜 | きょうりゅう kyouryuu | dinosaur |
| 怖い | こわい kowai | scary; frightening; eerie |
| 恐怖症 | きょうふしょう kyoufushou | phobia; morbid fear |
| 怖がる | こわがる kowagaru | to be afraid (of); to fear; to be frightened (of) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “dread”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
Last posts
- How Long Should a Bokken Be for Your Height
- Red Oak vs White Oak for Bokken Which Wood Wins
- Best Bokken for Beginners: Choosing Your First Training Sword
- Best Escrima Sticks for Students Choosing Your First Pair
- Essential Accessories for Your First Pair of Escrima Sticks
- Best Escrima Sticks for Your First Seminar
- Best Canes for Cane-Fu and Hapkido Training
- Which Rattan Sticks Have the Most Nodes for Durability
- Choosing Filipino Martial Arts Sticks for Double Work
- Choosing a Cane for Self-Defense Class Training