険 (xiǎn) - dangerous, perilous, risky & steep, precipitous

険Tone 3

xiǎn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

険 · xiǎn

dangerous, perilous, risky;

steep, precipitous;

severe, harsh;

insurance

dangerous, perilous, riskysteep, precipitoussevere, harsh

Usage highlights

dangerousinsurancesteep slopelife insurancerisk managementdanger zone

Synonyms

  • 危— dangerous, perilous
  • 難— difficult, hardship

Antonyms

  • 安— safe, peaceful
  • 平— flat, peaceful

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain road is very dangerous (険しい山道).
  • He works in the insurance industry (保険 industry).
  • They faced a perilous situation (危険な状況).
  • The cliff has a steep drop (険しい崖).

Collocations

  • dangerous(危険)
  • insurance(保険)
  • steep slope(険しい坂)
  • life insurance(生命保険)
  • risk management(リスク管理)
  • danger zone(危険区域)

Idioms

  • To brave dangers(危険を冒す)
  • Out of the frying pan into the fire(虎口を脱して竜穴に入る)
  • Insurance policy(保険証券)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used extensively in Japanese for insurance terms (e.g., 保険 - insurance).
  • Often appears in contexts describing dangerous terrain or risky situations.
  • The character combines 'mound/hill' radical with phonetic component indicating danger.

FAQ