Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "da ɗan" ita ce matsakaiciya ko digiri, ko kuma zuwa wani matsayi. Hakanan ana iya amfani da shi don bayyana rashin tabbas ko rashin tabbas a cikin sanarwa ko kwatance. Misali, “Na dan gaji” yana nufin cewa na gaji kadan, kuma “aikin yana da rikitarwa” yana nufin cewa aikin ya kai wani matsayi, amma ba a wuce gona da iri ba.