Meaning of 承担
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to undertake
- to assume (responsibility etc)
How to use 承担
承担 is used with abstract burdens such as 责任 (zérèn, responsibility), 费用 (fèiyòng, costs), 风险 (fēngxiǎn, risk), or 后果 (hòuguǒ, consequences). It sounds a bit formal and is common in work, news, and legal contexts. Example: 我愿意承担这个责任。(Wǒ yuànyì chéngdān zhège zérèn.) I am willing to take on this responsibility.
承 (chéng) means to receive or hold up, and 担 (dān) has the hand radical 扌, like a hand lifting a load onto your shoulder. Together you hold up a load with your hands, so you take on a burden or responsibility.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 承担 with 担任 (dānrèn). 担任 is for holding a post or role, like 担任经理, while 承担 is for responsibilities, costs, or risks. Also, 担 here is first tone dān, not fourth tone dàn, which is the reading for a carrying load as in 重担 (zhòngdàn).
承担 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.
承 chéng · to undertake · 8 strokes
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担 dān · to undertake · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 承担.
| 担心 | dānxīn | anxious; worried |
| 承认 | chéngrèn | to admit; to concede |
| 承受 | chéngshòu | to bear; to support |
| 负担 | fùdān | to bear (an expense, a responsibility etc); burden |
| 担任 | dānrèn | to hold a governmental office or post; to assume office of |
| 担保 | dānbǎo | to guarantee; to vouch for |
| 继承 | jìchéng | to inherit; to succeed to (the throne etc) |
| 承办 | chéngbàn | to undertake; to accept a contract |
| 承诺 | chéngnuò | to promise; to undertake to do something |
| 担忧 | dānyōu | to worry; to be concerned |
| 担当 | dāndāng | to take upon oneself; to assume |
| 传承 | chuánchéng | to pass on (to future generations); passed on (from former times) |
Questions about 承担
What does 承担 mean?
承担 (chéngdān) means "to undertake; to assume (responsibility etc)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 承担?
承担 is made of 2 characters: 承 (8 strokes), 担 (8 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 承担 an HSK word?
Yes. 承担 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 承担 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 承担 is written 承擔.
What is the difference between 承担 and 承受?
承担 means to actively take on a duty, cost, or risk. 承受 (chéngshòu) means to endure or withstand something like pressure or pain, as in 承受压力. One is accepting a job, the other is surviving a weight.
Can 承担 be used as a noun like 'burden'?
Not usually. For the noun 'burden' Chinese uses 负担 (fùdān), as in 经济负担 (financial burden). 承担 is mainly a verb, often followed by an object such as 责任 or 费用.