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涉险 (shè xiǎn) — to take risks, to brave danger (often in formal contexts)

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to brave danger / take risks,' typically in reporting or written narrative about difficult actions. As a 离合词 it splits: 涉了很大的险, 涉过一次险.

verb
to take risksto brave danger (often in formal contexts)

Examples

  • ，涉险。
    Tā wèi le jiù rén, bù xī shè xiǎn.
    He did not hesitate to take risks in order to save people.
  • ，。
    Zhè cì xíng dòng shè le hěn dà de xiǎn, xìng hǎo chéng gōng le.
    This operation involved great risk; fortunately it succeeded.
  • ，。
    Jì zhě shè guò yí cì xiǎn hòu, biàn de gèng jiā jǐn shèn le.
    After braving danger once, the reporter became more cautious.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

涉shèenter
险xiǎndanger

涉 means enter or involve, and 险 means danger, conveying braving danger.

Characters in this word

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

涉 combines 水 (water) and 步 (walk), showing someone walking through water.

Open 涉 →

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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān險
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.

Open 险 →
Appears in
Safety & Danger

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