ใ็ดใใใใ่จ่ใณใผใใผใ ใ่ ใใฎๅ ฅใฃใฆใใๅ่ฉ3่ช๏ผ่ ใใป่ ใใใป่ ใใ
if you read a lot of manga or novels, you might see the word ่ ใ somewhat frequently. or, you might see the word ่ ใใโor even the word ่ ใใ! (yes, those last two are different.) but in case you aren't familiar with them, here's each one in kana:
่ ใ๏ผใใฉใ๏ผ
่ ใใ๏ผใใฉใใ๏ผ
่ ใใ๏ผใใณใใใ๏ผ
so what's up with these? i finally got fed up and decided to look it up. let's start with the kanji!
่ ๏ผใญใงใฆใปใใฉใใใณใ๏ผ = threaten, coerce
่ ่ฟซ๏ผใใใใฏใ๏ผ = coercion, blackmail
่ ๅจ๏ผใใใใ๏ผ = threat, menace
so, we can see our three verbs above are going to share the basic meaning of "to threaten/frighten". but what's the use of having three? let's compare.
่ ใ๏ผใใฉใ๏ผ = to threaten, frighten (into doing), ๆใใใใ, ่ ่ฟซใใ
this verb's definition is very straightforward; it means what it says on the tin. we might consider ่ ใ the most basic of these three verbs. here are some examples:
่ ใใฆใ้ใใจใ = to threaten someone for money
ใ้ใๆธกใใใจ่ ใใฆใใใ = he threatened me, saying, "hand over your cash."
pretty simple. this is the kind of word that might be used by a newscaster or prescribed by a textbook, although it's not hyper-formal or anything.
next, we'll look at the verb with the same kun'yomi as ่ ใ:
่ ใใ๏ผใใฉใใ๏ผ = to startle, scare, ใณใฃใใใใใ, ้ฉใใ; to threaten, intimidate, ่ ใ
it looks like the definition of ่ ใ is encompassed by ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ! furthermore, ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ has its own particular usage meaning "to startle", which ่ ใ is not generally used for. that also makes ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ a more casual word than ่ ใ.
ใๅใใ็งใ่ (ใใฉ)ใใใใ = a ghost spooked me.
ใณใฃใใใใ๏ผ่ (ใใฉ)ใใใชใใงใใ = you scared me! don't startle me like that.
่ (ใใฉ)ใใใฆใ้ใใจใ = to threaten someone for money (colloquial)
so, while ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ can do the job of ่ ใ in casual conversation, it also comes with its own nuance.
lastly, ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ, whose kun'yomi is different:
่ ใใ๏ผใใณใใใ๏ผ = to threaten (e.g., peace), jeopardize, endanger, ๅฑใใใใ; to intimidate, frighten, ๆใใใใฆๅพใใใ
this verb also has two definitions. one definition is similar to ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ and ่ ใ, meaning "to frighten into obeisance". apparently, under this definition, ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ applies to actually frightening/dangerous circumstances, while ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ can also apply to circumstances that are scary but probably harmless.
ๅ็ฉใง่ (ใใณใ)ใใ = to threaten with a knife (actually dangerous)
ใณใฃใใใใใฆ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ = to take someone by surprise (incidentally scary, e.g., rounding the corner too fast, uncovering a weird bug, etc.)
additionally, ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ has a metaphorical usage, as in "to threaten the peace" or some other intangible state of being.
ใฆใคใซในใฎๅบใใใๅฎๅ จใ่ (ใใณใ)ใใใ = the spread of the virus threatens safety.
ไบบใฎๅฐไฝใ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ = to threaten someone's social standing
this is definitely the definition that sets it apart from ่ ใ and ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ! if you see something stable being put in peril, that's probably ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ.
to sum up: ่ ใ is the most basic of these three verbs, while ่ (ใใณใ)ใใ is the most metaphorical. meanwhile, ่ (ใใฉ)ใใ can take a casual or even somewhat humorous tone (kind of like "menace" in english). and of course, at the end of the day, all three more or less mean to threaten/make afraid/ๆใใใใ.
hopefully i didn't frighten you too much with another extremely specific vocab post! ใฟใใชใ่ ใใใคใใใใใชใใฃใใใใญ ;) as always, feel free to send me any questions or comments, and check out my sources below the cut if you like. ใ็ฒใ and see you next time!!












