嚇 means “menace, intimidate”

かく · kaku

Also: menacing, dignity, majesty, threaten

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おどす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

A mouth (口) beside two reds (赤赤): picture a face flushed scarlet, roaring. 嚇 lives in 威嚇, a show of menace, like a cat arching its back and hissing, or 威嚇射撃, warning shots fired into the air.

Used in 威嚇 (ikaku, intimidation/threat display) and 威嚇射撃 (ikaku shageki, warning shots)

More from Fear & Shame

• 凄 tremendous
• 畏 awe
• 慄 shudder
• 臆 timid
• 虞 risk
• 羞 shame
• 焦 fret
• 脅 threaten
• 辱 disgrace
• 慌 panic
• 惧 dread

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.