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膽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
膽dǎngallbladder; gall, guts, couragex, 17 strokes, radical ⺼
dǎn(dan3)dan T3
  1. 1gallbladder; gall, guts, courage
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March 24, 2026

膽dǎn(dan3)

The character 膽 (dǎn) primarily refers to the gallbladder, an organ involved in digestion. However, it is also used metaphorically to denote courage or guts in various contexts, such as expressing bravery or boldness. This dual meaning is common in phrases that emphasize one's heart or spirit.

Strokes17Radical⺼
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, having '膽量' (courage) is highly valued, often associated with heroic figures in history and literature. The term is frequently used to encourage people to act bravely in challenging situations, reflecting a cultural admiration for resilience.

Memory tip

Imagine a brave warrior with a sword made from a gallbladder, symbolizing courage. The character 膽 has a 'meat' radical (肉) on the left, relating to the physical aspect of the gallbladder, while the right part resembles a person showing bravery, creating a vivid connection to the word's meanings.

Meanings of 膽

dǎn(dan3)
1gallbladder; gall, guts, courage
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 膽

膽Simplified
17Strokes
⺼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 膽

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Podcast: 膽

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AI study notes for 膽

Quick Contrast

胆 (dǎn) refers specifically to the gallbladder, while 膽 (dǎn) is a variant character that can convey the same meanings but is less commonly used in modern contexts.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing 膽 can lead to confusion with other similar sounding words. It's often used in informal contexts when discussing bravery, but can also appear in more serious discussions about health. Common collocations include '膽量' (dǎnliàng - courage) and '膽識' (dǎnshǐ - bravery and insight).

HSK Study Tips

While 膽 is not included in the HSK level vocabulary, it connects to HSK 3-4 words related to health and emotions, such as '心' (xīn - heart) and '勇敢' (yǒnggǎn - brave). Students should focus on the nuances of courage and how it is expressed in different phrases.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 膽 with other characters like '单' (dān - single) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 膽 specifically refers to gallbladder or courage, while '单' relates to singularity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 膽

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Etymology of 膽

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 旦 represents the sound. Simplified form of 膽.

Memory hint

flesh

Semantic (meaning)⺼
+
Phonetic (sound)詹
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

膽 = ⺼ + 詹. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 膽

IDS Structure⿰⺼詹
膽Full character
=
⺼rou4
left
詹Zhan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 膽?

How to say gallbladder; gall, guts, courage in Chinese

“gallbladder; gall, guts, courage” in Chinese is膽dǎn

The character 膽 (dǎn) primarily refers to the gallbladder, an organ involved in digestion. However, it is also used metaphorically to denote courage or guts in various contexts, such as expressing bravery or boldness. This dual meaning is common in phrases that emphasize one's heart or spirit.

When to use 膽

Be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing 膽 can lead to confusion with other similar sounding words. It's often used in informal contexts when discussing bravery, but can also appear in more serious discussions about health. Common collocations include '膽量' (dǎnliàng - courage) and '膽識' (dǎnshǐ - bravery and insight).

膽 or something close to it

胆 (dǎn) refers specifically to the gallbladder, while 膽 (dǎn) is a variant character that can convey the same meanings but is less commonly used in modern contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 膽 with other characters like '单' (dān - single) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 膽 specifically refers to gallbladder or courage, while '单' relates to singularity.

Write 膽

膽

Practice writing 膽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Cultural Notes for 膽

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, courage is often linked to individualism and personal achievement, while in Chinese culture, it is frequently associated with collective responsibility and loyalty to family or community.

Word Family of 膽

Words containing this character20
大胆dàdǎnbrazen大膽
胆dǎnguts膽
胆小鬼dǎnxiǎoguǐcoward膽小鬼
胆子dǎnzicourage膽子
胆量courage膽量
胆小dǎnxiǎocowardice膽小
胆固醇cholesterol膽固醇
胆敢to dare (negative connotation)膽敢
胆囊gall bladder膽囊
胆怯dǎnqiètimidity膽怯
胆管bile duct膽管
提心吊胆tíxīndiàodǎn(saying) to be very scared and on edge提心吊膽
胆碱choline (amine related to vitamin B complex)膽鹼
胆识courage and insight膽識
胆汁gall膽汁
明目张胆brazenly明目張膽
胆大daring膽大
胆战心惊scared witless膽戰心驚
海胆sea urchin海膽
胆红素bilirubin膽紅素
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 膽

What does 大胆 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 膽

Common phrases include '膽量' (courage) and '膽識' (bravery and insight).

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