危险

• Pinyin: wēi xiǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 危 = 厃 (cliff) + 己 (kneeling person) — danger at a cliff; 险 = 阝 (hill) + 佥 (all, phonetic) — a steep, risky hillside

Meaning

Dangerous; danger. Describes a situation involving potential harm or risk.

One of the most common words for expressing danger. Can function as both an adjective (dangerous) and a noun (danger). Used in everyday speech as well as safety warnings and formal contexts.

Examples

1. 在河边玩耍是很危险的。 Playing by the river is very dangerous.
2. 开车的时候看手机非常危险。 Looking at your phone while driving is extremely dangerous.
3. 消防员经常面对危险的情况。 Firefighters often face dangerous situations.

Usage Guide

Context: safety, everyday, warnings

Tone: cautionary

Do Say

• 这里很危险，不要过去。(It's dangerous here — don't go over there.)
• 他脱离了危险。(He is out of danger.)

Don't Say

• 考试很危险。(Don't use 危险 for exams or non-physical challenges — use 难 for difficult or 有风险 for risky. 危险 implies physical danger.)

Origin & History

危 means 'danger' or 'perilous' and 险 means 'risk' or 'steep'. Together they emphasise the presence of serious risk.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal