保

bǎo

亻 + 呆

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

bǎo (verb) to protect; to defend; to keep; to guarantee

bǎo (verb) to ensure

Etymology

Depicts a person carrying a child on their back.

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 呆

About

The character 保 combines the person radical 亻 (rén) on the left with the component 呆 on the right; in early scripts, 呆 depicted a person carrying a child on their back. This caregiving image gave 保 its original sense of protecting and caring for someone vulnerable. Over time, the meaning expanded from physical defense to the broader idea of keeping anything safe, whether a concrete object, an abstract concept, or a state of being, leading to its modern uses of guarantee, ensure, preserve, maintain, and safeguard.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

你要保守秘密。

Nǐ yào bǎoshǒu mìmì.

You must keep a secret.

政府应该保护环境。

Zhèngfǔ yīnggāi bǎohù huánjìng.

The government should protect the environment。

我保证按时完成工作。

Wǒ bǎozhèng ànshí wánchéng gōngzuò.

I promise to finish the work on time.

保持健康的生活方式很重要。

Bǎochí jiànkāng de shēnghuó fāngshì hěn zhòngyào.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is very important.

我们要保障消费者的权益。

Wǒmen yào bǎozhàng xiāofèizhě de quányì.

We must protect consumers' rights and interests.

这个政策是为了保就业、稳民生。

Zhège zhèngcè shì wèile bǎo jiùyè、wěn mínshēng.

This policy is to preserve employment and stabilize people's livelihoods.

他投保了一份高额的人寿保险。

Tóu bǎole yī fèn gāo'é de rénshòu bǎoxiǎn.

He purchased a high-value life insurance policy.

这份保险能保你全家平安。

Zhè fèn bǎoxiǎn néng bǎo nǐ quánjiā píng'ān.

This insurance policy can ensure your whole family's safety.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 亻

Component: 呆

Example Words