敢作敢为 (gǎn zuò gǎn wéi) — (idiom) bold and decisive in action, daring to act and take responsibility

Definition

An idiom praising someone who dares to act and take responsibility, not just talk. Often used to admire leaders or young people facing challenges.

idiom
bold and decisive in action, daring to act and take responsibility

Examples

  • 敢作敢为，。
    Tā shì yí gè gǎn zuò gǎn wéi de rén, cóng bú hài pà tiǎo zhàn.
    He is a bold and decisive person, never afraid of challenges.
  • 敢作敢为，。
    Nián qīng rén yīng gāi gǎn zuò gǎn wéi, yǒng yú zhuī qiú zì jǐ de mèng xiǎng.
    Young people should be bold and decisive, daring to pursue their dreams.
  • 敢作敢为，。
    Zhè wèi lǐng dǎo gǎn zuò gǎn wéi, dài lǐng gōng sī zǒu chū le kùn jìng.
    This leader is bold and decisive, leading the company out of difficulties.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

敢作dare to act
敢gǎndare作zuòact
偏正Modifier + head
敢为dare to do
敢gǎndare为wèido
偏正Modifier + head

敢作 and 敢为 run in parallel, each with 敢 meaning daring, so the whole says bold, decisive action.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form showed a hand using a tool to hunt a wild boar. Later the tool was dropped and another mark was added, and the shape changed into 敢.

Open 敢 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form showed a hand using a tool to hunt a wild boar. Later the tool was dropped and another mark was added, and the shape changed into 敢.

Open 敢 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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