kǒng

fear

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
巩 sound component

  Sound component

gǒng

  

secure, bind

心 meaning component

  Meaning component

xīn

  

heart

Evolution

恐 Bronze script Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze script

Late Warring States (~250 BC)
恐 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
恐 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
恐 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

kǒng

fear; fearful, apprehensive; afraid; frightened; to fear

Most common words with 恐
Freq.
Word
Meaning

恐怖

terrible

恐怕

fear

恐惧

fear

afraid

恐慌

panic