The Chinese Character for Courage: Discover 勇 and Its Brave Story

Imagine your child facing a big test, walking into a new school on the first day, or finding the voice to stand up to a bully. What single Chinese character captures that essential inner bravery and determination? It’s 勇 (yǒng). Learning the character 勇 is more than just memorizing a few strokes; it’s unlocking a secret code for resilience, grit, and the confidence to take on any challenge.

What Is the Chinese Character for Courage?

The Chinese character for courage is 勇 (yǒng).

The character has remained essentially the same across traditional and simplified scripts, making it instantly recognizable:

• Simplified Character: 勇
• Traditional Character: 勇
• Pinyin (Pronunciation): yǒng (a third, dipping tone, like saying “y-awng” with a confident nod)
• Basic Meaning: Brave, courageous, valiant, or daring.

When you see the character 勇 displayed in martial arts studios, historical dramas, or classic literature, it’s a direct reference to a person who possesses great strength of character and the willingness to face danger, difficulty, or pain without fear.

How to Write 勇: Stroke Order and Breakdown

Understanding the composition of 勇 is the key to remembering it effortlessly. Like many Chinese characters, it’s a combination of simpler components, each adding a layer to the overall meaning.

The character 勇 is built from two main parts: 甬 (yǒng) on the top and 力 (lì) on the bottom.

Stroke Order Table for 勇 (yǒng)

The Character Breakdown: A Man Running with Power

1. Top Component (Phonetic/Semantic): 甬 (yǒng). This ancient character originally referred to a bell or a path, but in the context of 勇, it is often taught as a phonetic component that sounds like yǒng. For a great memory trick, kids can think of it as a person running forward along a path.
2. Bottom Component (Semantic): 力 (lì). This is the radical for “power” or “strength.” It’s a very common and simple character to write.

Putting them together, the character 勇 literally represents a man running forward (甬) using his full power (力). True courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the forceful application of strength and determination to keep moving despite the challenge. This is the brave story hidden within the strokes of 勇.

The Fascinating Origin and Cultural Meaning of 勇

The character 勇 has a history stretching back over three millennia, reflecting the high value ancient Chinese society placed on valor.

From Oracle Bones to Classic Scripts

The earliest forms of 勇 appeared on Oracle Bones (dating back over 3,000 years), where the components were slightly different but still conveyed the idea of strong, assertive action. As the script evolved into the Small Seal Script during the Qin Dynasty, the structure solidified into the form we recognize today—a combination of a person (or running path) and force.

Courage in Classic Chinese Phrases

The character 勇 is an essential building block for many everyday, high-value Chinese vocabulary words:

The Wisdom of Mencius

The concept of 勇 goes deeper than just physical bravery; it’s about moral conviction. The great Confucian philosopher Mencius (around 300 BCE) championed a concept called “Great Courage” (浩然之气, hàorán zhī qì). He captured the essence of moral 勇 with this famous quote:

“虽千万人，吾往矣”

(Suī qiānwàn rén, wú wǎng yǐ)

Translation: “Even against thousands of people, I go forward.”

This isn’t about fighting a crowd; it’s about having the inner moral certainty to stand up for what is right, even when the entire world opposes you. It’s the ultimate expression of the Chinese character for courage.

Sun Wukong and the Spirit of 勇

For K–12 students, the most memorable example of 勇 isn’t in a philosophy book—it’s on the page and screen in the form of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong (孙悟空, Sūn Wùkōng), the main hero of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Sun Wukong is arguably the greatest embodiment of the Chinese character for courage in all of Chinese culture.

• Daring to Challenge Heaven: From the moment he bursts from a stone, he demonstrates unmatched 勇 by challenging the established order. He fights the armies of heaven, steals the Peaches of Immortality, and demands a title equal to the Jade Emperor—all acts of incredible, sometimes reckless, bravery.
• Protecting Master Tang Sanzang: Once tamed and set on the path to protect the monk Tang Sanzang on his pilgrimage, Sun Wukong’s 勇 becomes focused and selfless. He faces down thousands of powerful demons, monsters, and evil spirits, always stepping forward first to defend his master, even when outnumbered or outmatched.
• Facing Inner Demons: His courage isn’t just physical. He shows 勇 by accepting responsibility, enduring the magical headband (which causes him pain when he misbehaves), and committing to his difficult, decades-long mission.

When your child learns 勇, they can picture the indestructible Monkey King, golden-hooped staff in hand, shouting, “勇!” as he leaps into battle. It makes the character come alive!

5 Fun & Proven Ways to Remember 勇 Forever

Making the Chinese character for courage, 勇 (yǒng), stick in your child’s memory is simple with the right mnemonic tools. Here are five fun, research-backed methods:

1. The Story Mnemonic

• How to Do It: Focus on the character’s components to create a narrative: “A brave runner (甬, top) uses his full strength (力, bottom) to charge ahead and save the day.” Picture a track star running so fast their power literally lifts them off the ground.
• Why It Works: This method links the components to the meaning through a narrative, making the abstract character structure sticky and memorable.

2. Hand Gesture

• How to Do It: Make a running motion (to represent 甬, the top component) and then clench your other fist (to represent 力, power). Combine the two gestures when you say the word yǒng.
• Why It Works: It connects the character to kinesthetic memory (body movement), helping to reinforce the learning process physically.

3. Drawing Association

• How to Do It: Draw the character 勇, and then add a fierce-looking Monkey King (Sun Wukong) standing right next to it, holding his golden-hooped staff.
• Why It Works: Visual association anchors the abstract character to a memorable and culturally relevant icon, making retrieval easier and more fun.

4. Song/Chants

• How to Do It: Create a simple, rhythmic chant: “Yǒng! Yǒng! Courage and might! 甬 and 力 make the future bright!”
• Why It Works: Musical and rhythmic memory aids are excellent for young learners, as they engage a different part of the brain responsible for pattern recognition.

5. Memory Palace

• How to Do It: Imagine the character 勇 painted prominently on your child’s bedroom door. Every time they leave the room (running out with force), they mentally pass through the doorway of courage on their way to school or a challenge.
• Why It Works: This technique links the character to a familiar physical location, aiding memory retrieval by tying the concept to a tangible, everyday experience.

Master Chinese Characters Like 勇 with WuKong Education

If you’re inspired by the power of characters like 勇 and want your child to confidently write their own courageous story in Chinese, it’s time to meet WuKong Education.

Our award-winning K–12 Chinese program is specifically designed for international students, transforming character learning from rote memorization into a fun, adventure-filled experience.

How WuKong Brings 勇 to Life:

• Adventure-Themed Curriculum: Our lessons are often woven into the narrative of Journey to the West. Your child “meets” the character 勇 through Sun Wukong’s adventures, making the meaning unforgettable.
• Interactive, Character-Focused Modules: We use games, puzzles, and engaging activities to solidify character structure, pronunciation, and usage, moving far beyond textbooks.
• Small, Live Classes: We ensure focused learning with a maximum class size of six students. This personalized attention from native-speaking, certified teachers guarantees your child masters stroke order and tone correctly.
• Proven Results: WuKong has helped tens of thousands of children achieve fluency, cultural literacy, and confidence, mastering hundreds of characters far faster than traditional methods.

Give your child the courage to excel in Chinese. Click here to explore how our specialized curriculum can help your child master 勇 and over 1,500 other essential Chinese characters!

Ready to conquer more characters? Check these guides:

• Discover 友 (yǒu)：The Chinese Character for Friend – WuKong Edu Blog
• Discover 福 (fú)：The Chinese Character for Happiness – WuKong Edu Blog
• Chinese Character for Wisdom: “智” (Zhì)- WuKong Edu Blog

Conclusion

One small character, 勇 (yǒng), holds thousands of years of Chinese bravery, moral philosophy, and the inspiring tale of the mighty Monkey King. Mastering the Chinese character for courage is more than a linguistic achievement; it’s one giant leap for your child’s self-confidence and bilingual future.

Are you ready to help your child write their own courageous story in Chinese and join the adventure with Sun Wukong? The journey starts with 勇.

FAQ Section

James | WuKong Math Teacher

Graduated from Columbia University in the United States and has rich practical experience in mathematics competitions’ teaching, including Math Kangaroo, AMC… He teaches students the ways to flexible thinking and quick thinking in sloving math questions, and he is good at inspiring and guiding students to think about mathematical problems and find solutions.