Chinese Character: 敢
1. Character Basics
Radical: 攵 (pū, to tap or pat)
Stroke Count: 11
Structure: Semi-enclosed structure, with 耳 (ear) on the left and 攵 on the right
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Gǎn
Tone: Third tone (falling-rising)
3. Meaning
Core Meaning: To dare; to be brave or bold
Main Definitions:
- To dare; to have the courage to
- Brave; bold; courageous
- To venture; to take the risk
- To presume; to have the audacity
- Used in the negative form "不敢" (bù gǎn) meaning "not dare to"
4. Common Words
- 勇敢 (yǒng gǎn): Brave; courageous
Example: He is a brave firefighter. 他是一位勇敢的消防员。 - 不敢 (bù gǎn): Not dare to
Example: I don't dare to swim in the deep water. 我不敢在深水里游泳。 - 敢于 (gǎn yú): Dare to; be bold enough to
Example: We should dare to speak the truth. 我们应该敢于说真话。 - 敢做敢当 (gǎn zuò gǎn dāng): Dare to act and accept responsibility
Example: A responsible person should dare to act and accept responsibility. 负责任的人应该敢做敢当。 - 岂敢 (qǐ gǎn): How dare I?; Would I dare?
Example: How dare I refuse your request? 我岂敢拒绝您的请求？
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Verb; Adjective
Usage Patterns:
- As a verb: 敢 + verb phrase (e.g., 敢说, 敢做)
- In the negative form: 不敢 + verb phrase
- Used with 于 to form 敢于 + verb phrase
- As an adjective in some compounds: 勇敢, 大胆敢为
- In rhetorical questions: 岂敢？(How dare I?)
Sentence Structures:
- Subject + 敢 + Verb: 他敢爬山。(Tā gǎn pá shān.) - He dares to climb mountains.
- Subject + 不敢 + Verb: 我不敢跳下去。(Wǒ bù gǎn tiào xià qù.) - I don't dare to jump down.
6. Cultural Background
The concept of courage and daring reflected by the character 敢 has significant cultural importance in Chinese society:
- Chinese culture values courage combined with wisdom, as expressed in the saying "勇者无畏" (Yǒng zhě wú wèi) - The brave have no fear
- Traditional virtues emphasize moral courage, such as standing up for what is right
- The idiom "敢作敢当" (gǎn zuò gǎn dāng) reflects the cultural value of taking responsibility for one's actions
- In Confucian philosophy, courage is considered one of the noble virtues
- Many Chinese proverbs encourage appropriate courage while warning against reckless behavior
7. Example Sentence
Sentence 1: 他很勇敢，敢一个人去探险。
(Tā hěn yǒng gǎn, gǎn yí gè rén qù tàn xiǎn.)
He is very brave and dares to go exploring alone.
Sentence 2: 你敢不敢在大家面前唱歌？
(Nǐ gǎn bu gǎn zài dà jiā miàn qián chàng gē?)
Do you dare to sing in front of everyone?
Sentence 3: 作为领导，他敢于承担责任。
(Zuò wéi lǐng dǎo, tā gǎn yú chéng dān zé rèn.)
As a leader, he dares to take responsibility.
8. Memory Tips
- Component Breakdown: The character consists of 耳 (ear) and 攵 (to tap). Imagine someone listening carefully and then daring to take action.
- Word Association: Connect 敢 with words like 勇敢 (brave) and 不敢 (not dare) to reinforce its meaning.
- Visual Mnemonic: The 耳 part on the left suggests listening, while the 攵 part on the right suggests taking action after hearing something.
- Pronunciation Link: The sound "gǎn" is similar to the English word "guts" which relates to courage.