怖(こわ)い

こわい
adjective (i-adjective)
scary, frightening
See also: 怖(こわ)がる (-がる verb form)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present怖(こわ)い怖(こわ)くない
Past怖(こわ)かった怖(こわ)くなかった
て form怖(こわ)くて怖(こわ)くなくて
Adverbial怖(こわ)く—
Conditional ば怖(こわ)ければ怖(こわ)くなければ
Conditional たら怖(こわ)かったら怖(こわ)くなかったら
1. scary, frightening
Describes something that causes fear or is frightening. Can also describe the feeling of being scared.
その映画(えいが)は怖(こわ)かったです。
That movie was scary.
暗(くら)いところが怖(こわ)いです。
I'm scared of dark places.
Expressing fear of something
怖(こわ)い夢(ゆめ)を見(み)ました。
I had a scary dream.
犬(いぬ)が怖(こわ)くて、近(ちか)づけません。
I'm scared of dogs, so I can't go near them.
子供(こども)の時(とき)は夜(よる)一人(ひとり)で外(そと)に出(で)るのが怖(こわ)かったです。
When I was a child, I was scared of going outside alone at night.

怖(こわ)い is an i-adjective meaning 'scary' or 'frightening.' Unlike English, Japanese uses the same word for both 'scary' (describing the stimulus) and 'scared' (describing the feeling)—context determines the meaning.

GRAMMAR:

  • 怖(こわ)くて (連用形(れんようけい)): 'scary and...' or 'because it's scary'
  • 怖(こわ)くない: 'not scary'
  • 怖(こわ)かった: 'was scary'
  • 怖(こわ)がる: verb form meaning 'to be afraid of' or 'to act scared'

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 怖(こわ)い話(はなし): scary story, ghost story
  • 怖(こわ)い夢(ゆめ): nightmare, scary dream
  • 怖(こわ)くて仕方(しかた)がない: to be terrified, can't help being scared
  • 怖(こわ)いもの知(し)らず: fearless (literally 'not knowing scary things')

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 恐(おそ)ろしい: terrifying (stronger, more literary)
  • 気味(きみ)が悪(わる)い: creepy, eerie
  • ビビる: to be freaked out (slang)

Related Words

Synonym: 恐(おそ)ろしい (terrifying (stronger))
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:37 · Revised 2026.4.19 16:06
00500/00864_kowai