How to Write 惮 (dàn) — Meaning “to fear”

Imagine your heart (忄) beating fast because you are all alone (单——meaning "single") in a dark place. That fearful feeling is exactly what 惮 (dàn) means: to fear. This visual of a lonely, scared heart can help you recall both the form and meaning.

Write the radical 忄 first as two dots (left dot then right dot) followed by a vertical stroke. Then write the right side 单 starting with the top dots, then the box-like 口, and finally the long horizontal stroke. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep 单 narrow so the whole character is balanced.

Though all share the 忄 radical, 惮 means "to fear" (e.g., 忌惮), while 恂 (xún) means "sincere" or "anxious" and 恃 (shì) means "to rely on" (e.g., 恃强凌弱). Visually, 恂 has 旬 inside, 恃 has 寺, and 惮 has 单; the right-side component is the key differentiator.

You will most often see 惮 in formal or literary expressions like 肆无忌惮 (unbridled, without fear) and 不惮 (not afraid to do something). It carries a strong, often negative tone of recklessness or boldness when combined with negation. In daily conversation, 怕 is far more common, so 惮 adds a classical, emphatic flavor.

Common words containing 惮 include: 忌惮 (jì dàn) — to fear; to dread; 肆无忌惮 (sì wú jì dàn) — unbridled; brazen; without any scruples; 不惮 (bù dàn) — not fear; not hesitate.