胆

• Pinyin: dǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 胆 = 月 (flesh radical, body part) + 旦 (phonetic, simplified from 詹)

Meaning

Gallbladder; courage; guts. The organ that stores bile, or metaphorically, one's bravery and nerve.

In Chinese medicine and culture, the gallbladder is associated with courage and decision-making. Common expressions include 胆子 (nerve/guts), 胆量 (courage), 大胆 (bold), and 胆怯 (timid). The figurative meaning is more common in daily conversation.

Examples

1. 他胆子很大，什么危险的事情都敢尝试。 He has a lot of nerve and dares to try any dangerous thing.
2. 医生说她的胆有些问题，需要进一步检查。 The doctor said there's something wrong with her gallbladder and further examination is needed.
3. 你真有胆，敢当面指出领导的错误。 You really have guts to point out the leader's mistakes to their face.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, medical, personality

Tone: colloquial

Do Say

• 你的胆子真大！(You've got real guts!)
• 他吓得胆都破了。(He was scared out of his wits.)

Don't Say

• 说'我的胆很好'来表示勇敢——通常说'我胆子大'或'我有胆量' (Don't say 我的胆很好 to mean brave — say 我胆子大 or 我有胆量 instead)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character: 月 (flesh/body part) indicates it's an organ, while 詹 provides the phonetic component.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal