害怕
hàipà
afraid / scared
害怕 means afraid or scared. Use it to express fear of things, situations, or experiences. Common with both concrete and abstract fears.
Example sentences
我害怕打针。
Wǒ hàipà dǎzhēn.
I am afraid of injections.
不用害怕，我在这里。
Búyòng hàipà, wǒ zài zhèlǐ.
Don't be afraid, I am here.
How to use 害怕 in practice
害怕 is a emotions & feelings item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin hàipà, then connect it to the meaning “afraid / scared” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 我害怕打针。 / 不用害怕，我在这里。.
When you practice 害怕, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 害怕 only as “afraid / scared” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Hospital & emergency guide, start a short conversation, and use 害怕 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 害怕 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only hàipà, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
What is the difference between 害怕 and 怕?
怕 is the short form and is even more common in spoken Chinese. 我害怕狗 and 我怕狗 both mean I am afraid of dogs.
How can I remember 害怕 faster?
Say 害怕 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 害怕 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 害怕 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach