可怕
kě pà HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这个故事很可怕。
Zhège gùshi hěn kěpà.
This story is very frightening.
可怕的事情发生了。
Kěpà de shìqing fāshēngle.
Something dreadful happened.
那个声音真可怕。
Nàgè shēngyīn zhēn kěpà.
That sound is really scary.
这很可怕。
Zhè hěn kěpà.
This is scary.
可怕的声音。
Kěpà de shēngyīn.
A frightening sound.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 可 (kě) often means 'can' or 'may,' and 怕 (pà) means 'to fear.' Think of it as something that 'can cause fear'—literally what is 'fear-able.' You can also associate it with the English phrase 'capable of fear,' but for the object itself being fearsome.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in register and can be used in both spoken and written Chinese across formal and informal contexts. It is commonly used to describe nightmares, stories, events, people's behavior, or dangerous situations. For example, you can say a movie is 可怕, or describe a natural disaster as 可怕.

📖 Grammar Points

As an adjective, 可怕 can directly modify nouns (e.g., 可怕的人). It can be used with degree adverbs like 很 (hěn), 非常 (fēicháng), or 太 (tài) to intensify the meaning (e.g., 非常可怕). It often appears in the structure 'Subject + 是 + 可怕的' to state that something is scary.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, openly describing things as 可怕 is common in daily conversation, especially for sharing fears or reactions. It's frequently used in contexts like ghost stories, cautionary tales, or discussing societal issues to emphasize danger or negativity.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 恐怖 (kǒngbù), which often means 'horrific' or 'terrifying' and can be stronger, sometimes associated with horror genres or extreme fear. 可怕 is more general for anything scary. 害怕 (hàipà) is a verb meaning 'to be afraid of' or 'to fear,' while 可怕 is an adjective describing the fearful quality of something.

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