怕
pà
The body stepping one pace back: 怕
The picture You see something ahead, your shoulders draw in, and a foot slides back on its own. 怕 steps back; 敢 goes forward anyway.
Where the picture shows up in 怕
-
the foot slides back
我怕狗，你先走吧。
wǒ pà gǒu, nǐ xiān zǒu ba
I am scared of dogs, you go ahead.
Seeing a dog in the alley, shoulders drawing in, one step back
-
catching the step back
别怕，医生马上就来。
bié pà, yī shēng mǎ shàng jiù lái
Do not be afraid, the doctor is coming.
Holding the patient's hand by the bed and easing their shoulders open
别怕 is the ordinary way to soothe someone
-
shrinking in advance
我怕赶不上火车。
wǒ pà gǎn bú shàng huǒ chē
I am worried I will miss the train.
Watching the station clock, feet stiffening over something not yet happened
A whole clause can follow 怕
-
not giving ground
这个孩子不怕冷。
zhè ge hái zi bú pà lěng
This child does not mind the cold.
Shoulders open in the cold wind, the child standing exactly where she was
不怕 also means it does not bother you
-
the sentence stepping back
恐怕他今天不来了。
kǒng pà tā jīn tiān bù lái le
I am afraid he is not coming today.
Putting the phone down, looking at the empty seat, letting the sentence trail off
恐怕 introduces a guess leaning the bad way
All of it in one picture
怕 is a single arrow pointing backward. Let a dog in the alley push your foot back and that is fear, and 别怕 is the hand that catches that backward step. Let the body shrink in advance before something that has not happened and it becomes worry; refuse to step back from the cold and it says the cold does not bother you. When even your sentence steps half a pace back, you get 恐怕, a guess that things will go the bad way.