担当 (dān dāng) — to take on; to undertake (a responsibility, rol… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Emphasis on willingness and courage to take on responsibility or a role. Pairs closely with 承担 (more neutral 'to undertake'); 担任 focuses on holding a position. Often used as a quality: 有担当 = 'having a sense of responsibility'.

verb

to take onto undertake (a responsibility, role, task)

Examples

担当。
Tā zhǔ dòng dān dāng le zhè ge xiàng mù de lǐng dǎo gōng zuò.
He voluntarily took on the leadership of this project.
担当。
Tā shì yí wèi néng dān dāng dà rèn de qǐ yè jiā.
She is an entrepreneur who can take on great responsibilities.
，担当。
Zài kùn nan miàn qián, tā gǎn yú dān dāng.
Faced with difficulties, he dared to take on (the responsibility).

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

担dāntake on

当dāngundertake

担 and 当 both mean to take on, giving the sense of assuming responsibility.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

扌旦担

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

旦

旦dàn担dàn

Same sound today

In 担, the left part 扌 is the hand, showing that the action involves using the hand. The right part 旦 shows how it sounds.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

田田tiánfield

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng當dāng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts

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