Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
勇敢 (ゆうかん, yuukan) Japanese meaning: brave | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
ゆう
敢かん
に
も
火ひ
の
中なか
に
飛と
び
込こ
ん
だ
。
He bravely jumped into the fire.
The courageous act saved many people.
Kanji 勇 courage, cheer up, be in high spirits Related words· 11 勇ましい emphasizes a spirited, gallant, or martial manner of bravery, while 勇敢 focuses on the underlying quality of courage itself.
大胆 means bold or daring and can imply recklessness or disregard for risk, whereas 勇敢 carries a purely positive sense of courage.
果敢 stresses decisive, resolute action taken despite difficulty, while 勇敢 describes the personal quality of being brave more broadly.
勇敢 emphasizes active bravery in facing danger, while 気丈 focuses on inner emotional fortitude and composure under stress.
Show 7 more 勇敢 emphasizes courage and boldness in facing danger, while 凛々しい emphasizes a noble, dignified bearing or appearance.
勇敢 is the common, everyday word for bravery, while 壮烈 is more literary and stresses a dramatic, moving quality, especially in death or struggle.
勇敢 is a general adjective/noun describing bravery as a trait, whereas 敢然 describes the bold manner of a specific action, often in formal writing.
Opposites 臆病 describes being timid or cowardly, the direct opposite of 勇敢's fearless courage.
勇敢 means brave or courageous, the direct opposite of 卑怯 in its sense of cowardice.
勇敢 describes genuine, admirable bravery, while 蛮勇 describes courage that is thoughtless and lacks real judgment.
Written forms 勇ゆう 敢かん Usage 98%
Standard kanji form; high priority.
ゆうかん Usage 2%
勇ゆう 悍かん
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
Etymology Compound of 勇 (courage) and 敢 (daring, bold). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally conveys bravery.
勇敢 describes a brave character or a heroic act (adjectival), whereas 勇気 names the inner quality of courage itself.
勇敢 describes straightforward bravery and is usually positive, whereas 不敵 can carry a nuance of audacity or recklessness that 勇敢 lacks.
勇敢 is an adjective describing brave conduct in general, while 武勇 is a noun tied specifically to martial valor.
勇敢 means brave in a straightforward, heroic sense when facing danger, while 健気 emphasizes an earnest, touching effort made despite weakness or hardship.