斗胆

斗膽
dǒudǎn
adverb #32,125

Meanings

  1. 1 to make bold; to venture (to do something)
  2. 2 presuming to...

Examples

HSK 3
Wǒ dǒudǎn xiàng nín tí yíge jiànyì.
I make so bold as to offer you a suggestion.
HSK 6
Qǐng yǔnxǔ wǒ dǒudǎn qǐngjiào yíge 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 (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 (dǒu) is an old Chinese grain measure (about 10 liters). Picture a gallbladder swollen to that size - that's the 'audacity' you're claiming.

Stroke Order

dǒu
dǎn