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Or does it mean both? If so, is there any way to explicitly distinguish
between "I'm scared" and "I'm scary"?  
If it only means one and not the other, how would you say the other?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-15T07:40:59.687
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2019-08-23T06:50:35.720
2019-08-23T06:50:35.720
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question
meaning i-adjectives ambiguity
Would 私は怖い mean "I'm scared" or "I'm scary"?
To give a few working examples:

> **私は** 猫が **怖い** 。  
>  **I'm scared** of cats.
>
> 恵美子ちゃんは猫は平気みたいだけど、 **私は怖い** らしい。  
>  Emiko seems to be fine around cats, but apparently is **scared of me**.
>
> **僕は怖い** よ。  
>  **I'm scary** , just so you know.

That makes 私は怖い officially ambiguous and the answer to your question must be
"both, depending on the context".
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2013-04-15T08:03:35.723
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2013-04-15T08:35:04.770
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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answer