Japanese word

度胸

Pronunciation

Romajidokyō

Meaning

  • nounguts

Example

彼は度胸があります。kare wa do kyō ga a ri ma su

He has guts.

Illustration for 度胸 (guts)

More examples

彼女は大勢の前でも度胸を発揮しました。kano jo wa ō zei no mae de mo do kyō o hak ki shi ma shi ta

She showed guts even in front of a large audience.

Core concept

Describes the nerve a person has to remain daring and act decisively in a difficult situation.

Common phrases

  • 度胸があるdo kyō ga a ru

    have guts

  • 度胸が据わるdo kyō ga su wa ru

    become unflappable

  • 度胸をつけるdo kyō o tsu ke ru

    build courage

  • 度胸を鍛えるdo kyō o kita e ru

    develop courage

  • 度胸を見せるdo kyō o mi se ru

    show one's nerve

Similar words

勇気yūki: The willingness to face fear, danger, or difficulty and take action.
胆力tanryoku: The strength to remain calm and act decisively in a threatening situation.
肝っ玉kimottama: Colloquial courage and composure shown when facing pressure or fear.

Definition in Japanese

困難な場面でも動じずに行動できる大胆な気力。kon nan na ba men de mo dō ji zu ni kō dō de ki ru dai tan na ki ryoku

Word origin

度胸 (dokyō) is a compound of 度 (do, "degree") and 胸 (kyō, "chest; heart"), treating courage as a measure of inner boldness.

Usage tips

  • A speaker can use this word approvingly or critically, since bold action may look impressive to one person and reckless to another.

Other meanings

  • couragenoun
  • nervenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word