HSK · Level 10
135 words
Chinese word
胆
Pronunciation
Pinyindǎn
Meaning
- nouncourage
Example
我们得有胆做这个决定。wǒ men děi yǒu dǎn zuò zhè ge jué dìng
We need the courage to make this decision.
More examples
她终于鼓起胆子去面试了。tā zhōng yú gú qǐ dǎn zi qù miàn shì le
She finally plucked up the courage to go to the interview.
Core concept
The part of a person that stays ready to act when risk or uncertainty makes retreat easier.
Common phrases
鼓起胆子gú qǐ dǎn zi
pluck up courage
有胆量yǒu dǎn liàng
have courage
缺乏胆量quē fá dǎn liàng
lack courage
Similar words
勇气yǒng qì: The inner strength to face fear or worry and take action.
胆量dǎn liàng: The degree of nerve or daring shown when facing danger or difficulty.
胆子dǎn zi: Courage or guts, expressed in a casual spoken way.
胆识dǎn shí: Bold courage guided by sound judgment and useful insight.
Definition in Chinese
表示人在面对危险、难题或决策时表现出的勇气与胆量，也可用来形容性格上大胆或胆小的倾向。biǎo shì rén zài miàn duì wēi xiǎn nán tí huò jué cè shí biǎo xiàn chū de yǒng qì yǔ dǎn liàng yě kě yòng lái xíng róng xìng gé shàng dà dǎn huò dán xiǎo de qīng xiàng
Word origin
Chinese first used 胆 (dǎn, "gallbladder") for a body organ, then extended the word to the inner quality associated with facing danger, linking the physical and abstract senses.
Usage tips
- This word often focuses on willingness to act, not skill or certainty of success, which explains why it can apply even when the result remains unknown.