壮胆

• Pinyin: zhuàng dǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 壮 = 丬 + 士 (strong); 胆 = 月 + 旦 (courage)

Meaning

To embolden; to boost courage; to steel oneself. To summon or strengthen courage before facing something daunting.

Often used reflexively or with 给 to describe psychological preparation before a challenging or scary situation. Can also mean having someone accompany you for moral support. Colloquial and expressive.

Examples

1. 他喝了两杯酒给自己壮壮胆。 He had a couple of drinks to work up his courage.
2. 你陪我去吧，给我壮壮胆。 Come with me and give me some courage.
3. 深呼吸壮了壮胆，她敲响了经理办公室的门。 She took a deep breath to steady herself, then knocked on the manager's office door.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, colloquial, encouragement

Tone: colloquial

Do Say

• 第一次上台演讲，她让朋友坐在前排给她壮胆。(For her first public speech, she had friends sit in the front row to give her courage.)
• 壮壮胆，没什么可怕的!(Buck up, there is nothing to be afraid of!)

Don't Say

• 壮胆是我的工作 — 壮胆 is situational action, not a job; use 鼓励 for ongoing encouragement

Origin & History

壮 (strong, to strengthen) + 胆 (gallbladder, courage)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal