惮 (dàn) - To fear & to dread

惮Tone 4

dàn ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

惮 · dàn

To fear;

to dread;

to be afraid of;

to be apprehensive about;

to be intimidated by.

To fearto dreadto be afraid of

Usage highlights

To fear hardshipTo be afraid of difficultyTo dread laborTo have no fearTo be fearlessTo be apprehensive

Synonyms

  • 怕— to fear; to be afraid of
  • 惧— to fear; dread
  • 畏— to fear; to revere

Antonyms

  • 勇— brave; courageous
  • 敢— daring; to dare

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was not afraid of hardship (不惮辛苦).
  • I dread the thought of that difficult task (我惮于想起那项艰巨的任务).
  • They fear no danger (他们无所忌惮).
  • She is apprehensive about speaking in public (她惮于公开演讲).

Collocations

  • To fear hardship(惮烦)
  • To be afraid of difficulty(惮难)
  • To dread labor(惮劳)
  • To have no fear(不惮)
  • To be fearless(无所忌惮)
  • To be apprehensive(忌惮)

Idioms

  • Not fearing hardship and danger(不惮艰险)
  • Having no scruples(肆无忌惮)
  • To fear neither hardship nor fatigue(不惮烦劳)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the heart/mind radical (忄) with the phonetic component 单, suggesting a state of mind related to fear or apprehension.
  • In classical texts, 惮 often appears in contexts discussing moral courage or the lack thereof, such as in Confucian discourse about whether one 'fears' to act rightly.

FAQ