脅かす
odokasu, obiyakasu
Description
「脅かす」は、こわいことを言ったりして、相手をびっくりさせたり、こわがらせたりすることです。
"脅かす" means to say scary things to surprise or frighten someone.
「おびやかす」と読むと、安全や平和などをあぶなくする、という意味になります。
When read as "おびやかす," it means to endanger safety or peace.
Meanings
脅かすodokasu
to frighten, scare, or startle someone
うしろから急に脅かさないでよ。
Don't suddenly scare me from behind.
脅かすodokasu
to threaten someone to make them do something
お金を出せと脅かされた。
I was threatened to give money.
脅かすobiyakasu
to endanger or threaten safety, peace, or a position
戦争が人々の生活を脅かす。
War threatens people's lives.
Related words
Notes
- Reading
おどかす often means playfully scare/startle; おびやかす means endanger something abstract like peace or safety.
- Nuance
脅す (odosu) is closer to pure coercion, while 脅かす can also just mean to spook.
Images