恐怖 kǒngbù terrible
terrible; frightful; frightening; terror; terrorist
How to remember 恐怖: 恐 fearful + 怖 frightened = terrible.
Characters
How it is used
- Terrifying/horror, and the root of "terrorism" - 恐怖电影 (kǒngbù diànyǐng) a horror film, 恐怖分子 (kǒngbù fènzǐ) a terrorist, 恐怖袭击 (kǒngbù xíjī) a terror attack.
- Colloquially also "scary-huge/insane": 人多得恐怖 (rén duō de kǒngbù) an insane crowd.
- Contrast 可怕 (kěpà, frightening) which is milder everyday "scary"; 恐怖 is heavier and carries the terror/terrorism sense.
Example sentences
- 我痛恨恐怖主义组织。 Wǒ tònghèn kǒngbùzhǔyì zǔzhī.I hate terrorist organizations.
- 我从没读过那么恐怖的小说。 Wǒ cóngméi dúguò nàme kǒngbù de xiǎoshuō.I've never read such a scary novel.