Definition

Adjective: * Bold, daring, audacious: Describes a person who acts with courage and a lack of fear, especially in the face of danger, authority, or difficulty. It implies a certain level of nerve or pluck. The word often carries a nuance of being somewhat reckless or defiant. * Having plenty of pluck, having nerve: Emphasizes the possession of courage and spirit to do something that might be intimidating.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy thật cả gan khi dám chất vấn giám đốc trước mặt mọi người. (He was truly bold to dare to question the director in front of everyone.)
  • Tên trộm cả gan đột nhập vào nhà khi chủ nhà vẫn còn ở trong. (The audacious thief broke into the house while the owner was still home.)
  • Chỉ có nó là đủ cả gan để nhận nhiệm vụ khó khăn đó. (Only he had enough pluck to take on that difficult task.)

Advanced Usage

• "cả gan lắm" / "thật là cả gan": Used for emphasis, meaning "very bold/daring" or "how audacious!".
  • Mày cả gan lắm mới dám làm thế! (You have a lot of nerve to dare do that!)
• The word can be used in both positive (admiring courage) and negative (criticizing recklessness or disrespect) contexts, depending on the situation and tone.

Variants and Related Words

• Gan dạ (adj): Brave, courageous, valiant. This is a more uniformly positive synonym, focusing on bravery without the strong connotation of defiance.
• Táo bạo (adj): Daring, bold (often in ideas or actions). Can be used similarly but is also common in contexts like "bold strategy" or "daring plan."
• Liều lĩnh (adj): Reckless, rash. This word emphasizes the negative aspect of taking foolish risks, which can sometimes overlap with .

Synonyms

• Bold (adj): Táo bạo, dũng cảm.
• Audacious (adj): Táo bạo, cả gan.
• Daring (adj): Gan góc, mạo hiểm.
• Plucky (adj): Dũng cảm, có nghị lực.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Cả gan ăn gan: A playful, rhyming idiom that reinforces the meaning of being extremely bold or having a lot of nerve. Literally "bold enough to eat liver" (playing on the word - liver/pluck).
  • Hắn dám nói thẳng với sếp, đúng là cả gan ăn gan. (He dared to speak frankly to the boss, he really has nerves of steel.)

1. Bold, having plenty of pluck