斗胆 (dǒudǎn): to make bold; to venture (to do…

Meanings

1 to make bold; to venture (to do something)
2 (courteous self-deprecation) presuming to...

Characters

斗

dǒu

dou (a dry measure for grain)

胆

dǎn

gallbladder; courage

Examples

我斗胆向您提一个建议。

Wǒ dǒudǎn xiàng nín tí yí ge jiànyì.

I make so bold as to offer you a suggestion.

请允许我斗胆请教一个问题。

Qǐng yǔnxǔ wǒ dǒudǎn qǐngjiào yí ge wèntí.

Please permit me to be so bold as to ask a question.

Tips

register

Polite, slightly formal self-deprecation — literally 'gall the size of a dou (a grain measure)', i.e. unusually large courage. Used before saying or asking something potentially presumptuous, especially to a superior. Compare with the modern casual 大胆.

memory

A 斗 (dǒu) is an old Chinese grain measure (about 10 liters). Picture a gallbladder swollen to that size — that's the 'audacity' you're claiming.