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具体含义不同，scared强调由外部原因引起的害怕或恐惧，afraid强调的是自身感觉。scared在语意上表达的恐惧程度最轻，afraid在用法上偏向于被一个造成长期恐惧的事物所影响；用法不同scared通常与系动词连用，构成系表结构，afraid则通常搭配短语使用。
afraid的用法
1. be afraid of sth (sb) 害怕某事(某人)。如：
Are you afraid of dogs? 你害狗吗?
There’s nothing to be afraid of. 没什么可害怕的。
比较：
He is afraid of her. 他怕她。
He is afraid with her. 跟她在一起时，他很害怕。
2. be afraid of doing sth
(1) 担心会发生某事或某情况(但实际上未必会发生)。如：
She was afraid of waking her husband. 她怕吵醒她丈夫。
I was afraid of hurting her feelings. 我怕伤害她的感情。
注：be afraid of doing sth 表示担心会发生某事或某情况时，其后也可用 be afraid that 替换。如：
He was afraid of losing face. ＝He was afraid (that) he’d lose face. 他怕失面子。
(2) 害怕做某事或不敢做某事(指缺乏勇气或害怕其后果而不敢)。如：
I’m afraid of telling her. 我不敢告诉她。
He was afraid of jumping. 他不敢跳。
3. be afraid to do sth 害怕做某事或不敢做某事。如：
He was afraid to fly in a plane. 他不敢坐飞机。
He was afraid to go into the house and meet his father. 他不敢进屋去见他父亲。
注：以上两类句型的异同之处：表示担心会发生某事或某情况，只能用 be afraid of doing sth,而表示害怕做某事或不敢做某事等，则两者都可用。如：
Don’t be afraid to ask [of asking] question. 不要害怕问问题。
He is afraid to go out [of going out] alone at night. 他不敢晚上一个人出去。