Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
勇敢yǒnggǎn(yong3gan3)
勇敢 (yǒnggǎn) means brave or courageous, often referring to someone who shows the ability to confront fear or challenges. This term is frequently used to describe acts of valor in both everyday situations and extraordinary circumstances, such as facing dangers or making difficult decisions.
Frequency#1828DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture,勇敢 is often celebrated in stories of historical figures or folklore, such as the legendary hero who defends his village. This reflects the value placed on bravery in both personal and communal contexts.
Memory Tip
Imagine a strong warrior (勇) with a heart (敢) that beats bravely against the odds. The character 勇 combines the radical for strength with the idea of daring, creating a vivid picture of someone who bravely faces challenges.
Meanings of 勇敢
yǒnggǎn(yong3gan3)
1brave
2courageous
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 勇敢
勇敢Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1828Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 勇敢
Podcast: 勇敢
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 勇敢
Quick Contrast
勇敢 (yǒnggǎn) vs 大胆 (dàdǎn) — use 勇敢 for moral courage and facing fears, while 大胆 emphasizes boldness and willingness to take risks.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a strong warrior (勇) with a heart (敢) that beats bravely against the odds. The character 勇 combines the radical for strength with the idea of daring, creating a vivid picture of someone who bravely faces challenges.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 勇敢 with words like 大胆 (dàdǎn), which also means bold but has a slightly different nuance related to recklessness. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but can sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation if used excessively.
HSK Study Tips
As a HSK Level 4 word, 勇敢 connects well with other adjectives describing qualities such as 友好 (friendly) and 聪明 (smart). Focus on using it in sentences to describe actions or characteristics of people, which will deepen your understanding of its usage.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture,勇敢 is often celebrated in stories of historical figures or folklore, such as the legendary hero who defends his village. This reflects the value placed on bravery in both personal and communal contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 勇敢 with the word 勇气 (yǒngqì), which means courage as a noun rather than an adjective. For example, saying '他是勇气' (Tā shì yǒngqì) is incorrect; it should be '他很勇敢' (Tā hěn yǒnggǎn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 勇敢
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 勇敢 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 勇敢 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 勇敢
勇敢 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
From now on, I'm gonna say yes--yes to love, yes to adventure, yes to life, whatever it maybe, the answer's going to be yes.
6
他勇敢地冲进烈火熊熊的屋子去救那个婴孩.
tā yǒng gǎn dì chōng jìn liè huǒ xióng xióng de wū zǐ qù jiù nà gè yīng hái.
He bravely went into the burning house to rescue the baby.
7
接着过来一匹马, 勇敢地游着, 但是我们担心水流的力量使它上不了岸便精疲力尽了.
jiē zháo guò lái yī pǐ mǎ, , yǒng gǎn dì yóu, zháo , dàn shì wǒ mén dān xīn shuǐ liú de lì liáng shǐ tā shàng bù le àn biàn jīng pí lì.
Next came a horse, swimming bravely, but we were afraid that the strength of the current would prevent its landing anywhere before it
8
他大夸而特夸自己很勇敢, 但一遇到危险,他就显得胆怯.
tā dà kuā ér tè kuā zì jǐ hěn yǒng gǎn, , dàn yī yù dào wēi, xiǎn , tā jiù xiǎn dé.
He boasted a lot about his courage, but when danger came he showed the white feather.
9
她勇敢地以剑自卫.
tā yǒng gǎn dì yǐ jiàn zì wèi.
She defended herself bravely with her sword.
Cultural Notes for 勇敢
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture,勇敢 is often celebrated in stories of historical figures or folklore, such as the legendary hero who defends his village. This reflects the value placed on bravery in both personal and communal contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions about 勇敢
You can say '他很勇敢' (Tā hěn yǒnggǎn) meaning 'He is very brave.'
Yes, you can describe feelings of courage, such as '我感到勇敢' (Wǒ gǎndào yǒnggǎn) meaning 'I feel brave.'
Yes, it can be used in formal contexts, especially when discussing heroism or valor.
