--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children use that word \"hate\" to mean…" description: "\"“Children use that word \"hate\" to mean various things. It may mean that they are frightened...It is not physical harm that is feared...so much as some ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/alice-munro-1231_children_children-use-that-word-hate-to-mean-vari_2426719.jpg" --- # Children use that word "hate" to mean various things. It… ![“Children use that word "hate" to mean various things. It may mean that they are frightened...It is not physical harm that is feared...so much as some spell, or dark intention. It is a feeling you can have when you are very young even about certain house faces, or tree trunks, or very much about…” quote by Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/alice-munro-1231_children_children-use-that-word-hate-to-mean-vari_2426719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/alice-munro-1231_children_children-use-that-word-hate-to-mean-vari_2426719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/alice-munro-1231_children_children-use-that-word-hate-to-mean-vari_2426719.jpg) > ““Children use that word "hate" to mean various things. It may mean that they are frightened...It is not physical harm that is feared...so much as some spell, or dark intention. It is a feeling you can have when you are very young even about certain house faces, or tree trunks, or very much about moldy cellars or deep closets.”” [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children use “hate” to label fear of unknown or unsettling things, not necessarily aggression. **In simple terms:** Kids label fear as hate. Key Takeaway Recognize fear behind strong words. Themes children emotion language Mood empathetic thoughtful Type psychological educational When to use this quote - parenting - education - mental health counseling Key Concepts developmental psychology fear symbolic meaning Questions to Reflect On - What fears might a child be expressing as “hate”? - How can you help a child articulate fear? A Different Perspective Adults may misinterpret children’s expressions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Feared Spell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feared-spell-6156703/) [Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fears/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-mean-1246298/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Mean Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-frightened-6156702/) [Word Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-hate-731187/) ## Related quotes > [Hate me,Love me,Care,Dont care,Judge me,Dont judge me.Doesn't matter,Because I am me,You are you.You have no clue what I been though.I been though a hella…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/hate-me-love-me-care-dont-care-judge-me-dont-judge-me-doesn-t-matter/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [I hate being mean. I watch those roasts on Comedy Central and they make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-mean-i-watch-those-roasts-on-comedy-central-and-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate being mean & hurting someones feelings I truly do, I don't do it intentionally. But sometimes being mean let's them know I'm serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-mean-hurting-someones-feelings-i-truly-do-i-don-t-do-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don’t care that you’re short. I like lots of things that are short. Little dogs and daffodils. I hate you because you’re mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-don-t-care-that-you-re-short-i-like-lots-of-things-that-are-short/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I hate mean people. People who just pick at you and try to force you into a train wreck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/method-man/i-hate-mean-people-people-who-just-pick-at-you-and-try-to-force-you/) [Method Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/method-man/) > [Reasons, hate them, but they mean something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reasons-hate-them-but-they-mean-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Avoiding something doesn't always mean that u hate it.. It could also mean that u want it, but u just know that it isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/avoiding-something-doesn-t-always-mean-that-u-hate-it-it-could-also/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I say that I really hate you, then I mean that I love you so mutch but that I don't can tell you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m/when-i-say-that-i-really-hate-you-then-i-mean-that-i-love-you-so/) [C.M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m/) > [Avoiding something doesn't always means that you hate it.It could also mean that you want it,but you know that it isn't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/avoiding-something-doesn-t-always-means-that-you-hate-it-it-could/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“I couldn’t understand how one human bein’ could do that to another. I couldn’t understand that kind of hate. I mean … what road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccammon/i-couldn-t-understand-how-one-human-bein-could-do-that-to-another-i/) [Robert McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mccammon/) > [Avoiding something doesn't always mean that you hate it. It could also mean that you want it but you just know it isn't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/avoiding-something-doesn-t-always-mean-that-you-hate-it-it-could-also/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Avoiding somthing dosen't always mean... Tht u hate it… it could also mean tht u want it.. Bt.. U just know tht it isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/avoiding-somthing-dosen-t-always-mean-tht-u-hate-it-it-could-also/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“I'm serious, Mar, I don't know how to act around him now. I can't be nice, because he'll hate that. But I can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-walker/i-m-serious-mar-i-don-t-know-how-to-act-around-him-now-i-can-t-be/) [Kristin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-walker/) > [Avoiding Something Doesn't Mean That you Hate It... It Could Also Mean That You Want It But You Just Know That It Is Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/avoiding-something-doesn-t-mean-that-you-hate-it-it-could-also-mean/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Avoiding something doesnt mean that u hate it...It could also mean that u want it, but u just know that it isnt urs...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-star/avoiding-something-doesnt-mean-that-u-hate-it-it-could-also-mean-that/) [Rick Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-star/) ## More by Alice Munro > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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