Comparison of "恐惧" and "恐怖"

In Chinese, both "恐惧" (kǒngjù) and "恐怖" (kǒngbù) relate to the concept of fear or terror, but they are used in different contexts and convey different nuances.

恐惧 (kǒngjù)

"恐惧" is a noun that refers to fear or apprehension, typically arising from the anticipation of something threatening or harmful. It describes the emotional state of being afraid or anxious.

• For example: She couldn't move, paralyzed by fear. - 她动也不敢动，被恐惧所震慑。(Tā dòng yě bù gǎn dòng, bèi kǒngjù suǒ zhènshè.)
• For example: The darkness filled him with fear. - 黑暗充满了他的恐惧。(Hēi'àn chōngmǎnle tā de kǒngjù.)

恐怖 (kǒngbù)

"恐怖" is an adjective that means terrifying or horrifying. It is used to describe something that causes intense fear, horror, or terror.

• For example: The movie was filled with terrifying scenes. - 电影充满了恐怖场景。(Diànyǐng chōngmǎnle kǒngbù chǎngjǐng.)
• For example: The terrorist attack left a trail of horror. - 恐怖袭击留下了一片恐怖。(Kǒngbù xíjī liúxiàle yīpiàn kǒngbù.)

Main Differences

• Concept: "恐惧" refers to the emotional state of fear or apprehension, while "恐怖" describes something that causes intense fear or terror.
• Usage: "恐惧" is more commonly used to describe internal feelings of fear, while "恐怖" is used to describe external stimuli or situations that evoke fear or terror.