hè

猲

Character · Adjective · VerbTraditional嚇

threaten; intimidate; gasping in fear

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 5 examples
1.

adjective

gasping in fear; panting with terror

archaic

Literary and archaic usage describing a state of panic or fear-induced breathlessness. Cross-reference: see also page 1509 for xiè.

Zhòng众
rén人
hè吓
rán然
 ，
bù不
gǎn敢
chū出
shēng声
 。

The crowd gasped in fear, not daring to make a sound.

Tā他
xià吓
de得
qì气
chuǎn喘
xū吁
xū吁
 ，
miàn面
rú如
tǔ土
sè色
 。

He was panting with terror, his face ashen.

2.

verb

to threaten; to intimidate; to menace

literary

Used in literary or formal contexts to express coercion through threats. Often interchangeable with 威胁 but carries a more archaic tone.

Tā他
yòng用
bào暴
lì力
lái来
hè吓
rén人
 ，
dàn但
wú无
rén人
qū屈
fú服
 。

He used violence to intimidate people, but no one yielded.

Cǐ此
xìn信
yì意
zài在
hè吓
zǔ阻
duì对
fāng方
 ，
bìng并
wú无
shí实
jì际
xíng行
dòng动
 。

This letter was intended to deter the other party through intimidation, with no actual action planned.

Show 1 more example
Dòng恫
hè吓
bǎi百
xìng姓
shì是
bào暴
zhèng政
de的
biǎo表
xiàn现
 。

Intimidating the common people is a manifestation of tyranny.