勇气
yǒngqì · HSK 4
guts
💪 勇气 = 勇 (brave) + 气 (spirit/qi); literally brave-spirit
勇 carries the sense of bravery or valor, and 气 is the vital energy or spirit that also shows up in 力气 (strength) and 生气 (anger). Together: the spirit of bravery — guts, mettle, pluck.
气 — steam/vapor radical 气
Originally a pictograph of rising vapor or clouds drifting in the sky, depicting curling streams of air. The character came to mean breath, air, and by extension vital energy or 'qi.' The simplified form 气 keeps the original outline; the traditional 氣 added 米 (rice) to suggest steam rising from cooking grain.