dānqīn jiātíng 单亲家庭 N single-parent family
dānrén chuáng 单人床 N single bed
dānrén fángjiān 单人房间 N (hotel) room for a single person
dānshù 单数 N odd number
dānwèi 单位 N work unit, e.g. a factory, a school, a government department ■ 你是哪个单位的？Nǐ shì
nǎge dānwèi de? Which work unit do you belong to?
dānyuán 单元 N unit (in an apartment house), apartment, flat
dān 担 TRAD 擔 V carry on the shoulder, take on
dānbǎo 担保 [comp: 担 shoulder + 保 guarantee] V gurantee, vouch for 担保人 dānbǎorén guarantor
dānrèn 担任 [comp: 担 shoulder + 任 act as] V assume the office of, act in the capacity of ■ 今 年谁担任
我们的中文老师？Jīnnián shuí dānrèn wǒmen de Zhōngwén lǎoshī? Who’ll be our Chinese
teacher this year? ■ 政府邀请这位大学校长 担任教育部长。Zhèngfǔ yāoqǐng zhè wèi dàxué
xiàozhǎng dānrèn jiàoyù bùzhǎng. The government has invited this university president to be
Minister of Education.
dānxīn 担心 V worry ■ 他担心考试不及格。Tā dānxīn kǎoshì bù jígé. He is worried that he may fail
the exam. ■ 我为爸爸的身体担心。Wǒ wèi bàba de shēntǐ dānxīn. I’m worried about daddy’s
health.
dān 耽 V delay
dānwù 耽误 [comp: 耽 delay + 误 miss] V delay ■ 你们没有按时交货，耽误了我们的生 产。Nǐmen
méiyǒu ànshí jiāohuò, dānwùle wǒmen de shēngchǎn. Your failure to deliver the goods on time has
delayed our production. ■ 有病得马上 看，不要耽误。Yǒubìng děi mǎshàng kàn, búyào dānwù.
If you are sick you should go to see a doctor immediately. Don’t delay.
dǎn 胆 TRAD 膽 N 1 gall bladder 2 courage
NOTE: Ancient Chinese believed that the gall bladder determined one’s courage and bravery—the bigger
the gall bladder, the more courage.dǎndà 胆大 ADJ brave, bold
dǎnliàng 胆量 [modif: 胆 courage + 量 amount] N courage, guts 试试他的胆量 shìshi tāde dǎnliàng test his
courage, see how brave he is.
dǎnqiè 胆怯 ADJ timid, coward
dǎnxiǎo 胆小 ADJ timid, coward
dǎxiǎo guǐ 胆小鬼 N coward
dǎnzi 胆子 N courage 胆子大 dǎnzidà same as 胆大 dǎndà / 胆子小 dǎnzixiǎo same as 胆小 dǎnxiǎo
dàn 旦 N dawn, morning (See yuándàn 元旦.)
dàn 但 CONJ same as 但是 dànshì. Used in writing.
dànshì 但是 CONJ but, yet ■ 这种产品价格很低， 但是质量不好。Zhè zhǒng chǎnpǐn jiàgé hěn dī,
dànshì zhìliàng bù hǎo. This product is cheap but is of low quality. ■ 这个女孩子长得很漂亮，但
是大家都不喜欢她。Zhège nǚháizi zhǎng de hěn piàoliang, dànshì dàjiā dōu bù xǐhuan tā. This
girl is quite pretty, but nobody likes her.
dàn 淡 ADJ 1 not salty, tasteless, bland ■ 汤太淡 了，得放些盐。Tāng tài dàn le, děi fàng xie yán. The
soup is tasteless. Put some salt in it. 2 weak (of tea, coffee) (ANTONYM 浓 nóng) ■ 茶淡一点儿 好，
我喝浓茶睡不着。Chá dàn yìdiǎnr hǎo, wǒ hē nóngchá shuì bu zháo. I prefer weak tea. I can’t
fall asleep after drinking strong tea.
dànjì 淡季 N slack season
dànshuǐ 淡水 N fresh water, sweet water
dàn 蛋 N egg (especially chicken egg) ■ 他每天 早上吃一个蛋。Tā měi tiān zǎoshàng chī yí ge dàn.
He eats an egg every morning. ■ 鸡蛋营养丰 富。Jīdàn yíngyǎng fēngfù. Eggs are very
nutritious.
dànbáizhì 蛋白质 [modif: 蛋白 egg white + 质 substance] N protein
dàngāo 蛋糕 [modif: 蛋 egg + 糕 cake] N (western-style) cake ■ 你饿吗？先吃点蛋糕当点心 吧。Nǐ