果敢 packages two qualities into one word:
果 (decisive, no dithering) +
敢 (daring). Compare with
勇敢 (yǒnggǎn, brave but says nothing about decisiveness) and
果断 (guǒduàn, decisive but not necessarily brave). Use
果敢 when both speed and courage matter — military commanders, ER doctors, founders pivoting their startup.
