凍える

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 凍える is read こごえる and is an intransitive verb for becoming intensely cold.
• Basic usage: In 雪の中でバスを待ち、凍えるほど体が冷えた。, waiting for a bus in the snow leaves the speaker freezing cold.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Bodily cold
  • 凍える describes feeling intensely cold. 凍えるほど does not say that the body's water has literally turned to ice.