度胸|どきょうdokyou[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nouncourage; bravery; pluck; nerve; grit; guts
   あいつの度胸どきょうを試ためしてみよう。↗

   I'll put his courage to the test.

• Synonym勇気ゆうきNeutralThe most widely used word for courage: the spirit of facing fear or difficulty head-on, where 「度胸」 is about keeping one's nerve.
• SynonymガッツCasualColloquial loanword for guts and fighting spirit, stressing a never-say-die attitude rather than composure.
• Synonym根性こんじょうNeutralNeutral word for grit and staying power, but also for a person's (often base) nature; about persistence, not specifically nerve.
• Synonym勇ゆうWrittenWritten, single-character word for courage, as in 「勇を鼓す」; literary in feel.
• Synonym肝っ玉きもったまCasualColloquial word for guts, as in 「肝っ玉が据わる」; carries a warm, familiar tone. 「度胸」 is more common and stresses staying calm under pressure.
• Synonym胆力たんりょくWrittenWritten term for nerve that stresses bold force of spirit; weightier and more stately than 「度胸」.
• Synonym胆気たんきWrittenRare written word for fighting nerve; in most cases 「度胸」 is the natural choice.
• Related大胆だいたんNeutralNeutral adjectival noun for bold, fearless action, as in 「大胆な発想」; describes daring behaviour rather than the nerve itself.
• Related意気いきWrittenWritten word for mettle or fighting spirit, now mostly in compounds like 「意気込み」; standing alone it stays in formal prose.
• Related気概きがいNeutralNeutral word for backbone and fighting spirit that never yields to hardship; about unyielding resolve, slightly apart from 「度胸」.
• Related気骨きこつWrittenWritten word for moral backbone: holding to one's principles and refusing to bend; a matter of integrity rather than the situational nerve of 「度胸」.
• Related不敵ふてきNeutralNeutral adjectival noun for fearless, dauntless bearing, as in 「不敵な笑み」 or 「大胆不敵」; can read as praise or as criticism.
• Related剛毅ごうきWrittenWritten word for fortitude: a firm will that setbacks cannot break; it describes steadfast character, not composure in the moment.
• Related勇猛ゆうもうWrittenWritten word for valour, typically bravery in battle; more martial than 「度胸」.
• Related肝玉きもだまCasualColloquial, same as 「肝っ玉」: guts, with the nuance of being bold and unflinching.
• Related剛勇ごうゆうWrittenRare written word for martial bravery and strength; much heavier than 「度胸」.
• Relatedど根性どこんじょうCasualColloquial, hot-blooded word for sheer grit: refusing to give up no matter what, rather than staying calm.
• Related豪気ごうきWrittenRare written word for a bold, hearty, larger-than-life spirit; stresses sweeping dash rather than composure.
• Related勇敢さゆうかんさNeutralNeutral noun for bravery as a quality, as in 「勇敢さを示す」; names the heroic trait itself.
• Related勇力ゆうりょくWrittenRare written word combining courage with physical strength.
• Related放胆ほうたんWrittenRare written word for acting boldly and freely, without scruples or restraint.
• Related大胆不敵だいたんふてきWrittenWritten set phrase for utter fearlessness, daring anything; strong in tone, and can be praise or criticism.
• Antonym臆病おくびょうNeutralAntonym: cowardice, timidity — the opposite of having 「度胸」.

Default: 「度胸」 for the nerve to face things calmly, as in 「度胸がある」「度胸試し」. General courage is 「勇気」; colloquial guts 「肝っ玉」; boldness 「大胆」; backbone 「気概」. For principled backbone say 「気骨」, for unbending will 「剛毅」, for valour in battle 「勇猛」. 「胆気」「剛勇」「豪気」「勇力」「放胆」 are rare written words; for plain nerve 「度胸」 is the everyday choice. 「ガッツ」 and 「ど根性」 stress gritty fighting spirit, 「根性」 persistence (also negative), 「不敵」 fearless bearing; 「臆病」 is the opposite.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 物事ものごとに動うごかされない心こころ。