paa3怕
Jyutpingpaa3
Yalepa
Definition
To fear, dread, or be afraid of someone or something.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
While 怕 and 驚 are often interchangeable, 怕 carries a stronger sense of apprehension or reluctance toward a future event or a personality trait. It is frequently used in the construction 怕醜 to describe shyness, whereas 驚 is rarely used in that context. You will also hear 怕 used to express a polite refusal or a concern about a potential negative outcome, such as 怕遲到.
Examples
He is very shy and doesn't dare to talk to people.
Related words
Common mistake
Beginners often confuse 怕 with 驚, but 怕 is more about a state of mind or a persistent fear, while 驚 is more commonly used for sudden fright or immediate reaction to a scary stimulus.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
