諺語 · a single proverb
敢當大任
Simplified: 敢当大任
What does 敢當大任 (gǎn dāng dà rèn) mean?
敢當大任 (gǎn dāng dà rèn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "daring to shoulder great responsibility." In use it means: The willingness to take on heavy burdens when the moment demands it; stepping forward when others step back. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "daring to shoulder great responsibility."
The reading
The weight is real. The room is full of people who can see it but will not pick it up. The person who steps forward does not do so because the weight is light. They do so because the weight needs carrying and they have decided that they are the one. This decision, more than any talent, is what separates those who lead from those who follow.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Mencius 孟子; general Confucian concept of ren and yi
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 敢當大任 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 敢當大任 (gǎn dāng dà rèn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Mencius 孟子; general Confucian concept of ren and yi. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 敢當大任?
In Mandarin it is gǎn dāng dà rèn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 敢當大任 aloud in Mandarin.