恐怖症

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 恐怖症 is read as きょうふしょう and is a noun for a phobia, a strong fear of a particular object or situation.
• Basic usage: Place the feared object first, as in 高所恐怖症, or use 恐怖症について相談する when seeking specialist advice.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Object in a compound
  • In 高所恐怖症, 高所 identifies what is feared; other objects can similarly specify the kind of phobia.
• More than dislike
  • 恐怖症 describes strong fear and avoidance, not simply a mild preference against something or ordinary discomfort.