不敢

不敢

1. to not dare (to do something)

   每天做一件你害怕不敢做的事。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Měitiān zuò yī jiàn nǐ hàipà bùgǎn zuò de shì. [Pinyin]

   Do one thing every day that you are afraid to do.

   你不要以為我真不敢殺你，你不要激我。 [MSC, trad.]
   你不要以为我真不敢杀你，你不要激我。 [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ bùyào yǐwéi wǒ zhēn bùgǎn shā nǐ, nǐ bùyào jī wǒ. [Pinyin]

   Don't assume I'd hesitate to kill you — don't test me.

   • 冥冥子規叫，微徑不敢取。 [MSC, trad.]
     冥冥子规叫，微径不敢取。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 759 CE, Du Fu, At Dharma Mirror Temple (《法鏡寺》)

     Míngmíng zǐguī jiào, wēijìng bùgǎn qǔ. [Pinyin]

     Dark in the distance the cuckoo crows Go Go,
     The narrow path to the temple I dare not seek.

   • 自壬辰至于五六年間，賊不敢直突於兩湖者，以舟師之扼其路也。今臣戰船尙有十二，出死力拒戰，則猶可爲也。 [Korean Literary Sinitic, trad.]

     From: Admiral Yi Sun-sin, 1597, quoted in《李忠武公全書》 (Collected Works of Yi, Duke of Loyalty and Martiality), 1795

     자 임진^(으로) 지우 오륙년 간^(에) 적^(이) 불감직돌어양호자^(는) 이주사지액기로야^(니이다). 금 신 전선^(이) 상유십이^(하니) 출사력거전^(이면) 즉 유가위야^(니이다).
     Ja Imjin[-euro] jiu o ryuk nyeon gan[-e], jeog[-i] bulgam jik dor eo Yangho ja[-neun], i jusa ji aek gi ro ya[-niida]. Geum sin jeonseon[-i] sang yu sibi[-hani], chul saryeok geojeon[-imyeon], jeuk yu ga wi ya[-niida]. [Sino-Korean]

     Through the five or six years after 1592, the enemy have not dared directly attack Jeolla and Chungcheong because our fleet guarded their route. Your servant still has twelve battleships today. If we defend with our dying strength, it can still be done.

2. (regional) cannot; must not; should not

• (to not dare): (Cantonese) 唔敢 (m4 gam2), (Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew) 毋敢

不敢

1. You flatter me; I wouldn't presume; I don't deserve this (praise, reward, etc.)