恐 - FEAR Kneeling Men with Pipes

Readings & Meanings:

おそ（れる） to fear

キョウ

おそ（ろしい）

fear, anxiety, fearful, fierce, awful

Common Usage:

恐ろしい

恐竜

恐怖

Examples:

恐ろしい夢を見た。

恐竜がいた頃の地球の気温は今よりも高かった。

恐怖に顔がこわばった。

Translations:

I had a terrible dream.

The earth during the time of the dinosaurs had a higher atmospheric temperature than present today.

His face was frozen in fear.

Radical:

Another 心, which ties into the emotional meaning of this kanji.

In the BC years, this kanji was related to 巩, which means firm, strong. It shows a kneeling person connecting two things with a pipe. This became the basis for the top element of 恐.

So, when your heart feels punctured (i.e. by a pipe?) you feel fear.

References:

http://www.kanjinetworks.com/indices/radindex.html
http://www.thejapanesepage.com/node/kanji/o.htm