Meaning
勇 means brave or courageous, describing someone who faces danger or difficulty without fear. It can function as both an adjective (brave) and a noun (bravery/courage). This character is often used to praise someone's fearlessness or boldness in challenging situations.
Usage
勇 is more commonly seen in compound words like 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn, brave) or 勇气 (yǒngqì, courage) rather than standing alone in modern Chinese. When used alone, it tends to appear in more formal or literary contexts. In everyday speech, native speakers typically prefer the two-character compounds.
Examples
- 01他在危险面前表现得很勇敢。.He acted very bravely in the face of danger.
- 02做出这个决定需要很大的勇气。.Making this decision requires great courage.
Common collocations
- 勇往直前to advance bravely, to forge ahead
- 奋勇to summon up courage, valiantly
- 有勇无谋to have courage but lack strategy
Antonyms
Origin
The character 勇 originally depicted a person summoning strength (力, force) to surge forward with determination. The upper portion suggests emerging or springing forth, combined with 力 (strength) below, creating the image of forceful bravery.