Japanese symbol for “fear”
恐れ
おそれ
Romaji: osore
fear; horror; anxiety; concern
In Japanese, fear is 恐れ, read おそれ (osore).
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 fear; horror; anxiety; concern; uneasiness; reverence
- n risk; danger; likelihood; fear
- n awe; reverence
Written forms: 恐れ、怖れ、虞、畏れ. Readings: おそれ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “fear”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恐怖 | きょうふ kyoufu | fear; dread; dismay |
| 心配 | しんぱい shinpai | worry; concern; anxiety |
| 不安 | ふあん fuan | anxiety; uneasiness; worry |
| 恐れる | おそれる osoreru | to fear; to be afraid of |
| 懸念 | けねん kenen | worry; fear; anxiety |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恐怖 | きょうふ kyoufu | fear; dread; dismay |
| 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 |
See also: Chinese symbol for “fear”.
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.