Meaning of 危险
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- danger
- dangerous
How to use 危险
危险 works as an adjective, as in 很危险 (very dangerous), and as a noun meaning danger, as in 有危险 (there is danger). Signs often say 危险 alone as a warning. Example: 晚上一个人走路很危险。(Wǎnshang yí ge rén zǒu lù hěn wēixiǎn.) Walking alone at night is dangerous.
Both characters mean danger. 危 (wēi) shows a person crouched on the edge of a cliff, and 险 (xiǎn) has the 阝 side that often marks hills and slopes, so picture a steep, risky drop.
Common mistake: Learners often write 险 (xiǎn) as 脸 (liǎn, face), because the right sides look alike. 险 has 阝 on the left, while 脸 has 月. Also keep 危 in the first tone, wēi, not wéi.
危险 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
危 wēi · dangerous · 6 strokes
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- 2
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险 xiǎn · danger · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 危险.
| 保险 | bǎoxiǎn | insurance; to insure |
| 风险 | fēngxiǎn | risk; hazard |
| 危害 | wēihài | to harm; to jeopardize; to endanger; harmful effect; damage |
| 危机 | wēijī | crisis |
| 冒险 | màoxiǎn | to take risks; to take chances |
| 探险 | tànxiǎn | to explore; to go on an expedition |
| 危及 | wēijí | to endanger; to jeopardize |
| 危急 | wēijí | critical; desperate (situation) |
| 惊险 | jīngxiǎn | perilous; touch-and-go; nerve-racking; suspenseful |
| 艰险 | jiānxiǎn | difficult and dangerous; hardships and perils |
| 遇险 | yùxiǎn | to get into difficulties; to meet with danger |
| 乘人之危 | chéngrénzhīwēi | to take advantage of sb's precarious position |
Questions about 危险
What does 危险 mean?
危险 (wēixiǎn) means "danger; dangerous" and is used as a adjective and noun.
How do you write 危险?
危险 is made of 2 characters: 危 (6 strokes), 险 (9 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 危险 an HSK word?
Yes. 危险 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 危险 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 危险 is written 危險.
What is the difference between 危险 and 风险?
危险 is immediate danger to safety, like a busy road or a sharp knife. 风险 (fēngxiǎn) is risk or possible loss, often used for money, business or plans, as in 投资有风险 (investing has risks).
How do I say someone is in danger or out of danger?
Say 他有危险 (tā yǒu wēixiǎn) for he is in danger. For out of danger, especially in a medical sense, say 脱离危险 (tuōlí wēixiǎn), as in 病人已经脱离危险了 (the patient is now out of danger).