hàipà: 害怕 - To be Afraid, Scared, to Fear

• Keywords: haipa, 害怕, Chinese for afraid, Chinese for fear, fear in Chinese, scared in Chinese, haipa meaning, what does haipa mean, how to say scared in Chinese, HSK 3, 担心, 恐怖
• Summary: Learn how to say “to be afraid” or “scared” in Chinese with 害怕 (hàipà). This comprehensive guide for beginners explores the meaning, cultural context, and practical usage of this essential Mandarin word for fear. Discover how to use 害怕 (hàipà) correctly in daily conversation with our detailed examples and analysis, and understand its nuances compared to related terms like 担心 (dānxīn) (to worry) and 恐怖 (kǒngbù) (terror).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): hàipà
• Part of Speech: Verb (specifically, a stative verb which functions like an adjective)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To be afraid of someone or something; to be scared.
• In a Nutshell: 害怕 (hàipà) is the most common, all-purpose word for “fear” in Mandarin Chinese. It describes the direct emotional and often physical reaction to a perceived threat or danger. If you're looking for the first word to learn for “scared,” this is it. It covers everything from being scared of spiders and horror movies to being afraid of making a mistake.

• 害 (hài): This character means “to harm,” “to cause trouble,” or “harmful.” It points to a source of danger or potential damage.
• 怕 (pà): This character means “to fear” or “to be afraid.” It is composed of the “heart” radical (忄) on the left and the phonetic component 白 (bái) on the right. The heart radical (忄) clearly indicates that this is an emotion.
• The two characters combine to create a very logical meaning: feeling fear (怕) because of a potential for harm (害). This connection makes the word's meaning intuitive and easy to remember.

害怕 (hàipà) expresses a universal human emotion, but its object and expression can be culturally specific in China. While Western culture often emphasizes a “face your fears” narrative, expressing 害怕 in a Chinese context isn't always seen as a weakness. Among family and close friends, admitting you are scared can be a way to elicit care, protection, and build intimacy. A significant cultural nuance is the fear of social judgment. A person might be 害怕 speaking in public not just because of stage fright, but because they are afraid of making a mistake and 丢脸 (diūliǎn) – “losing face.” This fear of social embarrassment is a powerful motivator in many East Asian cultures and is a common reason for someone to feel 害怕. So, while the fear of a snake is universal, the deep-seated fear of offending a superior or embarrassing one's family is a culturally significant application of 害怕.

害怕 (hàipà) is a versatile word used constantly in daily life.

• Everyday Fears: It's the standard word for common phobias and fears. You can use it to talk about being afraid of heights (怕高), insects (害怕虫子), or ghosts (害怕鬼).
• Expressing Apprehension: It's used to express fear or apprehension about a future event, such as an exam or a job interview. In this sense, it describes the anxiety connected to a potential negative outcome.
• Social Interactions: You might hear someone say they are 害怕 offending someone, which highlights a fear of social consequences.
• Informality: 害怕 is a neutral term suitable for most informal and semi-formal conversations. In spoken Chinese, the character 怕 (pà) is often used by itself as a shorthand. For example, “我怕黑 (Wǒ pà hēi)” for “I'm afraid of the dark.”

• Example 1:
  • 我很害怕蛇。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ hěn hàipà shé.
  • English: I am very afraid of snakes.
  • Analysis: A simple and direct use of 害怕 to state a common phobia. The adverb 很 (hěn) is often used to qualify stative verbs like 害怕.
• Example 2:
  • 你害怕什么？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ hàipà shénme?
  • English: What are you afraid of?
  • Analysis: A common question form. Note how 害怕 functions directly as the main verb.
• Example 3:
  • 小孩子害怕一个人睡觉。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎo háizi hàipà yīgè rén shuìjiào.
  • English: The little child is afraid of sleeping alone.
  • Analysis: Here, 害怕 is followed by a verb phrase (一个人睡觉 - to sleep alone), showing it can describe a fear of doing something.
• Example 4:
  • 我害怕考试不及格。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ hàipà kǎoshì bù jígé.
  • English: I'm afraid I won't pass the exam.
  • Analysis: This example shows 害怕 used to express fear about a potential future outcome. It's a mix of fear and worry.
• Example 5:
  • 别害怕，这只狗不咬人。
  • Pinyin: Bié hàipà, zhè zhī gǒu bù yǎo rén.
  • English: Don't be afraid, this dog doesn't bite.
  • Analysis: 别 (bié) is used to form a negative command, “Don't…”. This is a common way to reassure someone.
• Example 6:
  • 这部恐怖电影让我感觉很害怕。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù kǒngbù diànyǐng ràng wǒ gǎnjué hěn hàipà.
  • English: This horror movie makes me feel very scared.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the relationship between something that is 恐怖 (kǒngbù - terrifying) and the feeling it causes, 害怕 (hàipà - scared).
• Example 7:
  • 他害怕在很多人面前说话。
  • Pinyin: Tā hàipà zài hěn duō rén miànqián shuōhuà.
  • English: He is afraid of speaking in front of many people.
  • Analysis: A classic example of social anxiety or stage fright, a very common use for 害怕.
• Example 8:
  • 看到那个新闻，我心里很害怕。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào nàge xīnwén, wǒ xīnli hěn hàipà.
  • English: After seeing that news, I was very scared in my heart.
  • Analysis: The phrase 心里 (xīnli - in the heart/mind) emphasizes that the fear is an internal, emotional experience.
• Example 9:
  • 她害怕得罪她的老板。
  • Pinyin: Tā hàipà dézuì tā de lǎobǎn.
  • English: She is afraid of offending her boss.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the culturally relevant fear of disrupting social harmony or authority, linking to the concept of “face”.
• Example 10:
  • 我不怕困难，只害怕没有机会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù pà kùnnán, zhǐ hàipà méiyǒu jīhuì.
  • English: I'm not afraid of difficulties, I'm only afraid of not having opportunities.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts two types of fear, showing its use in a more abstract or metaphorical sense. Note the use of the single character 怕 (pà) as a synonym.

• 害怕 (hàipà) vs. 担心 (dānxīn): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 害怕 (hàipà) is a visceral, gut-level fear of a direct threat. Think of a racing heart when you see a spider.
  • 担心 (dānxīn) is mental worry or anxiety about a situation or person. You are 担心 your friend who is late, but you are 害怕 if you think they were in an accident.
• 害怕 (hàipà) vs. 恐怖 (kǒngbù):
  • 害怕 is the feeling of being scared.
  • 恐怖 is an adjective describing something that causes terror or horror, like a 恐怖电影 (horror movie) or a 恐怖故事 (horror story). Something 恐怖 makes you feel 害怕.
• Common Mistake: “I'm afraid I can't…“
  • In English, we often say “I'm afraid I can't make it” as a polite way to decline. Do not translate this directly using 害怕.
  • Incorrect: 我害怕我来不了。(Wǒ hàipà wǒ lái bu liǎo.) This sounds like you are literally terrified of the consequences of not coming.
  • Correct: 不好意思，我可能来不了。(Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ kěnéng lái bu liǎo.) - “Sorry/excuse me, I probably can't come.” This is the natural and polite way to express this idea.

• 担心 (dānxīn) - To worry. The key distinction from 害怕; describes mental anxiety, not visceral fear.
• 恐惧 (kǒngjù) - Dread, fear. A more formal, literary, or psychological term for a deep-seated fear.
• 恐怖 (kǒngbù) - Terror, horror. An adjective used to describe things that are terrifying (e.g., a movie, an attack).
• 紧张 (jǐnzhāng) - Nervous, tense. The feeling you get before a test or a performance; it can be a component of fear but isn't fear itself.
• 可怕 (kěpà) - Frightening, scary. An adjective to describe something that causes fear, often interchangeable with 恐怖 but slightly less intense.
• 怕 (pà) - The single-character version of 害怕, very common in spoken Chinese as a standalone verb (e.g., 我怕高 - Wǒ pà gāo - “I'm afraid of heights”).
• 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn) - Brave, courageous. The direct antonym of being fearful.
• 胆小 (dǎnxiǎo) - Timid, cowardly. An adjective describing a person's character as being easily frightened (literally “small gallbladder”).