‘吓阻’ (hè zǔ) is a compound noun meaning ‘deterrence’—specifically the use of threat or force to prevent an adversary from taking undesirable action. The first character 吓 (hè) means ‘to frighten’ or ‘to intimidate’, while 阻 (zǔ) means ‘to obstruct’ or ‘to impede’. Together, they convey the idea of preventing action through intimidation—not necessarily actual violence, but the credible threat of it. This term is most commonly used in formal, strategic contexts such as national defense, international relations, and security policy.

Unlike general words for ‘prevention’ like 防止 (fángzhǐ), 吓阻 emphasizes psychological pressure and strategic signaling. It implies intentionality: the deterrent power must be visible and believable to the target. While occasionally used metaphorically (e.g., in law enforcement or corporate strategy), its core domain remains military and geopolitical discourse—similar to English ‘deterrence’ in phrases like ‘nuclear deterrence’ or ‘mutual assured destruction’.