‘勇气’ (yǒng qì) is a noun meaning ‘courage’ or ‘bravery’ — the mental or moral strength to face fear, difficulty, danger, or pain without flinching. The character 勇 (yǒng) means ‘brave’ or ‘valiant’, and 气 (qì) literally means ‘vital energy’ or ‘spirit’; together, they convey the inner spiritual force that empowers resolute action in challenging situations.

This word is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe personal resolve — for example, when standing up for others, trying something new, or enduring hardship. It carries a positive, respectful connotation and often appears in inspirational contexts, such as education, self-improvement, or moral storytelling. Unlike English ‘courage’, which can be countable or uncountable, ‘勇气’ is always an uncountable noun in Chinese and does not take measure words like 个 or 种 unless modified (e.g., 一种勇气). It rarely appears alone in speech and is typically embedded in phrases like 有勇气、需要勇气, or 缺乏勇气.