gamble

Compared meaning: to do something that may cause harm or loss (verb).

比较义项：冒险去做某事，使自己或某物处于可能受损失或伤害的境地（动词）。

• gamble 本词

  Emphasizes betting money or something valuable on an uncertain outcome, hoping to gain more; often used with 'gamble on' and can suggest reckless risk-taking with financial stakes.

  强调把金钱或贵重的东西押在不确定的结果上，希望获得更多回报；常与“gamble on”搭配，也可能暗示不计后果、带有博彩色彩的冒险。

  He's gambling on the stock market rebounding before he needs the cash.

  他在赌股市会在他急需用钱之前反弹。

• risk

  The most neutral and general term: means exposing anything valuable, such as one's job, health or life, to possible harm or loss by doing something, without implying any hope of gain.

  是最中性、最通用的说法：表示通过做某事使工作、健康或生命等宝贵事物处于可能受损或受伤的境地，并不含期待获利的意思。

  She risked losing her job by speaking out against the boss.

  她冒着丢掉工作的风险，站出来反对老板。

• chance

  An informal way of taking an uncertain risk, often as the fixed phrase 'chance it'; used for everyday, lower-stakes situations rather than serious matters like money or safety.

  是一种非正式的说法，表示冒着不确定的风险去做某事，常以固定短语“chance it”（碰碰运气）出现；多用于日常、赌注较小的情况，而不是金钱或安全等严肃的事情。

  I don't have a map, but I'll chance it and take the shortcut through the woods.

  我没有地图，但我要碰碰运气，抄近路穿过树林。

Gamble, risk, and chance all mean to take an uncertain action that could cause loss. Gamble stresses betting something valuable, hoping for a bigger gain. Risk is the most neutral word, exposing something valuable to possible harm. Chance is informal, in the phrase 'chance it'.

这三个词都表示“冒险去做某事”，但语气和语域不同：gamble 强调像赌博一样押上金钱或重要事物以博取更大回报，语气较重；risk 是最中性通用的说法，只强调让某物处于危险之中，不一定期待获利；chance 语气较随意，常用于日常小事，尤其是固定搭配“chance it”（碰碰运气）。这里不比较 risk 作名词表示“风险”的用法，也不比较 chance 作“偶然发生、巧遇”（如 chance upon）的用法。