恐怕 kǒngpà — I’m afraid that…, probably (with an unwelcome guess)
kǒngpà (third tone, dipping)kong3pa4
I’m afraid that…, probably (with an unwelcome guess)
HSK 4· HSK 1–4 (classic)adverb
Meanings
I’m afraid that…, probably (with an unwelcome guess)
恐, to fear, and 怕, to dread — worn down from a feeling into a hedge on a guess. It never sits alone as "I am afraid"; it sits in front of a whole prediction, usually one the speaker would rather were wrong: 恐怕要下雨了, it looks like rain, I’m afraid.
adverb
Character breakdown
Example sentences
- 他今天恐怕不能来了，他生病了。他今天恐怕不能來了，他生病了。Tā (first tone, high and level) jīntiān (first tone, high and level) kǒngpà (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) le, (neutral tone) tā (first tone, high and level) shēngbìng (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)···
I’m afraid he can’t come today — he’s ill.
- 天这么黑，恐怕要下雨了。天這麼黑，恐怕要下雨了。Tiān (first tone, high and level) zhème (fourth tone, falling) hēi, (first tone, high and level) kǒngpà (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) xià (fourth tone, falling) yǔ (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)···
The sky is so dark — it looks like it’s going to rain.
Common mistakes
Not quite房间里有蛇，我恐怕。
Correct房间里有蛇，我很害怕。
恐怕 is not a feeling one has — it cannot stand alone as "I am afraid." It is a sentence adverb that hedges a prediction: 恐怕他不会来, I’m afraid he won’t come. Real fear of something in the room is 害怕.