大丈夫

Chinese

		big; great; huge big; great; huge; large; major; wide; deep; oldest; eldest; doctor	husband; man; male
simp. and trad. (大丈夫)		大	丈夫

Etymology 1

Attestable in pre-Qin texts.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): dàzhàngfu, dàzhàngfū

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ˙ㄈㄨ, ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ㄈㄨ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): daai⁶ zoeng⁶ fu¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): thai-chhong-fû
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): tāi-tiōng-hu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, colloquial, standard in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: dàzhàngfu
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ˙ㄈㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: dàjhàngfů
    • Wade–Giles: ta⁴-chang⁴-fu⁵
    • Yale: dà-jàng-fu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dahjanq.fu
    • Palladius: дачжанфу (dačžanfu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ fu¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan, literary alternative in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: dàzhàngfū
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ㄈㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: dàjhàngfu
    • Wade–Giles: ta⁴-chang⁴-fu¹
    • Yale: dà-jàng-fū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dahjanqfu
    • Palladius: дачжанфу (dačžanfu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ fu⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: daai⁶ zoeng⁶ fu¹
    • Yale: daaih jeuhng fū
    • Cantonese Pinyin: daai⁶ dzoeng⁶ fu¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: dai⁶ zêng⁶ fu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /taːi̯²² t͡sœːŋ²² fuː⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: thai-chhong-fû
    • Hakka Romanization System: tai cong fu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: tai⁴ cong⁴ fu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /tʰai̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰoŋ⁵⁵ fu²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāi-tiōng-hu
    • Tâi-lô: tāi-tiōng-hu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: daixdioxnghw
    • IPA (Xiamen): /tai²²⁻²¹ tiɔŋ²²⁻²¹ hu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /tai⁴¹⁻²² tiɔŋ⁴¹⁻²² hu³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /tai²²⁻²¹ tiɔŋ²²⁻²¹ hu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /tai³³⁻¹¹ tiɔŋ³³⁻¹¹ hu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /tai³³⁻²¹ tiɔŋ³³⁻²¹ hu⁴⁴/

Noun

大丈夫

1. real man; man of character

   男子漢大丈夫，流血不流淚 [MSC, trad.]
   男子汉大丈夫，流血不流泪 [MSC, simp.]

   nánzǐhàn dàzhàngfū, liúxuè bù liúlèi [Pinyin]

   A true man bleeds but never sheds a tear

   • 居天下之廣居，立天下之正位，行天下之大道。得志與民由之，不得志獨行其道。富貴不能淫，貧賤不能移，威武不能屈。此之謂大丈夫。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     居天下之广居，立天下之正位，行天下之大道。得志与民由之，不得志独行其道。富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈。此之谓大丈夫。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Jū tiānxià zhī guǎngjū, lì tiānxià zhī zhèngwèi, xíng tiānxià zhī dàdào. Dézhì yǔ mín yóu zhī, bùdézhì dúxíng qí dào. Fùguì bùnéng yín, pínjiàn bùnéng yí, wēiwǔ bùnéng qū. Cǐ zhī wèi dàzhàngfū. [Pinyin]

     If you dwell in the great house of the world, are established in your correct position in the world, walk the great Path of the world; if you attain your ambitions for office, and then share your goodness with the people—or, not attaining your ambitions for office and walking alone on your own Path; if wealth and honor do not dissipate you, poverty and low status do not make you move from your principles; authority and might do not distort you: Then you can be called a “great man.”

   • 前識者，道之華而愚之始也。是以大丈夫處其厚，不處其薄；居其實，不居其華。故去彼取此。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     前识者，道之华而愚之始也。是以大丈夫处其厚，不处其薄；居其实，不居其华。故去彼取此。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Tao Te Ching, 4^th century BCE

     Qiánshí zhě, dào zhī huá ér yú zhī shǐ yě. Shì yǐ dàzhàngfū chù qí hòu, bù chù qí bó; jū qí shí, bù jū qí huá. Gù qù bǐ qǔ cǐ. [Pinyin]

     Foreknowledge is the flower of Tao, but of ignorance the beginning. Therefore a great sportsman abides by the solid and dwells not in the superficial. He abides in the fruit and dwells not in the flower. Therefore he discards the latter and chooses the former.

   • 所謂「大丈夫」者，謂其智之大也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     所谓「大丈夫」者，谓其智之大也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE

     Suǒwèi “dàzhàngfū” zhě, wèi qí zhì zhī dà yě. [Pinyin]

     "A great sportsman" is so called because his wisdom is great.

   • 觀秦皇帝，喟然太息曰：「嗟乎，大丈夫當如此也！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     观秦皇帝，喟然太息曰：「嗟乎，大丈夫当如此也！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Guān Qín huángdì, kuìrán tàixī yuē: “Jiēhū, dàzhàngfū dāng rúcǐ yě!” [Pinyin]

     When he saw Qin Shihuang, he sighed: "Oh, that's what a man should be like!"

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (大丈夫):

• → Japanese: 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ) (daijōbu); 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ふ) (daijōfu)
• → Korean: 대장부(大丈夫) (daejangbu)
• → Vietnamese: đại trượng phu (大丈夫)

See also

• 丈夫 (zhàngfū)
• 男子漢／男子汉 (nánzǐhàn)

Etymology 2

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ) (daijōbu), from Chinese 大丈夫.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): dàzhàngfū

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ㄈㄨ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: dàzhàngfū
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄚˋ ㄓㄤˋ ㄈㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: dàjhàngfu
    • Wade–Giles: ta⁴-chang⁴-fu¹
    • Yale: dà-jàng-fū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dahjanqfu
    • Palladius: дачжанфу (dačžanfu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ fu⁵⁵/

Adjective

大丈夫

1. (Internet slang) all right; okay

   這樣大丈夫？／这样大丈夫？  ―  Zhèyàng dàzhàngfū?  ―  Is this okay?

Japanese

FWOTD – 6 January 2023

Kanji in this term
大	丈	夫
だい Grade: 1	じょう Grade: S	ぶ Grade: 4
goon

Alternative forms

• (informal) だいじょぶ (daijobu)

Etymology

From Chinese 大丈夫, equivalent to 大 (dai-) +‎ 丈夫 (jōbu).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) だいじょーぶ [dàíjóꜜòbù] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [da̠iʑo̞ːbɯ̟]

Noun

大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ) • (daijōbu) ^{←だいぢやうぶ (daidyaubu)?}
(alternative reading hiragana だいじょうふ, rōmaji daijōfu, historical hiragana だいぢやうふ)

1. (archaic) a man of class; a great man

Adjective

大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ) • (daijōbu) ^{←だいぢやうぶ (daidyaubu)?}-na (adnominal 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)な (daijōbu na), adverbial 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)に (daijōbu ni))

1. (of a person) all right; okay; in good health; uninjured

   Synonym: 無事 (buji)

   大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)ですか。

   Daijōbu desu ka.

   Are you all right?

   • 1996 February 20 [1988 February 15], Mitsuru Adachi, “なにがなんだか 後編 [What’s What: Last Chapter]”, in SHORT(ショート) PROGRAM(プログラム) [Short Program], 25th edition, volume 1 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 283:

     大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)受(う)かります！

     Daijōbu ukarimasu!

     That’ll be all right. You’ll definitely pass!

     ほんとに⁉

     Honto ni⁉

     Really!?

2. (of an object) all right, unbroken, still working
3. certain, correct, certifiable
4. (after the te form of a verb) indifferent, unconcerned

   Synonyms: かまわない (kamawanai), 差し支えない (sashitsukaenai)

   遅(ち)刻(こく)しても大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)だ。

   Chikoku shitemo daijōbu da.

   It's no big deal to be late.

5. (in response to an offer) no thank you

   Synonyms: いい (ii), 結構 (kekkou), 要らない (iranai)

   レジ袋(ぶくろ)は大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)です。

   Rejibukuro wa daijōbu desu.

   I am fine without a plastic bag.

Usage notes

• In strict terms, declining an offer with 大丈夫 is considered ambiguous. Nonetheless, the usage has become widespread in modern day Japan.

Descendants

• → Hokkien: lăi-jiò͘-bù
• → Mandarin: 大丈夫 (dàzhàngfū)
• → Yonaguni: 大丈夫 (daidubu)

References

• 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.
• Kitahara, Yasuo, editor (2002), 明鏡国語辞典 [Meikyō Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Taishūkan Shoten, →ISBN

Korean

Hanja in this term
大	丈	夫

Noun

大丈夫 • (daejangbu) (hangeul 대장부)

1. hanja form^? of 대장부 (“real man”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
大	丈	夫

Noun

大丈夫

1. chữ Hán form of đại trượng phu (“great man”).

Yonaguni

Kanji in this term
大	丈	夫
Grade: 1	Grade: S	Grade: 4

Etymology

From Japanese 大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ) (daijōbu), from Chinese 大丈夫 (dàzhàngfu).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /daidubu/

Adjective

大丈夫(だいどぅぶ) (daidubu) 

1. all right
2. okay