风险

• Pinyin: fēng xiǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 风 = simplified from 風, meaning wind; 险 = 阝 (mound) + 佥 (all), meaning dangerous or steep

Meaning

Risk; danger; hazard. The possibility of something bad happening.

Commonly used in business, finance, health, and safety contexts. Frequently appears in phrases like 风险管理 (risk management), 风险评估 (risk assessment), and 承担风险 (bear risk).

Examples

1. 投资股票有一定的风险。 Investing in stocks carries a certain level of risk.
2. 做生意要学会控制风险。 Doing business requires learning to control risk.
3. 医生告诉他这个手术的风险不大。 The doctor told him the risk of this surgery is not high.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, health

Tone: cautious

Do Say

• 这项投资的风险比较高。(The risk of this investment is relatively high.)
• 我们要提前做好风险评估。(We need to do a risk assessment in advance.)

Don't Say

• 今天出门有风险下雨 (Don't use 风险 for minor everyday possibilities like rain — use 可能 instead; 风险 implies significant danger or loss)

Origin & History

Compound of 风 (wind) and 险 (danger, steep), evoking the unpredictability and danger of strong winds.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal