竟敢
jìng gǎn · HSK 7
to have the cheek to
竟 unexpectedly + 敢 to dare = to actually dare, to have the cheek to
竟 means unexpectedly or actually, and 敢 means to dare. Stuck together they carry a tone of indignation: someone actually dared, they had the nerve, the impertinence to do it.
竟 — 音 (sound) + 儿 (person) below
Originally depicted a person (儿) finishing a musical performance (音), suggesting the end or completion of something. The meaning extended to 'finish,' 'in the end,' and 'unexpectedly.' The component 音 also hints at the pronunciation.
敢 — 耳 ear + 又 hand (right) + 攵-like top
Oracle bone forms show a hand seizing an animal or object, suggesting boldness in taking hold. Later script regularized the shape, with components resembling a hand grasping near an ear. The original sense of daring to seize extended to the modern meaning 'to dare' or 'bold.'