The word "环保" is formed by combining the character "环" (huán), which means "environment" or "circle", with the character "保" (bǎo), which means "protect" or "preserve"; it is an abbreviation of the phrase "环境保护" (environmental protection), where "环" stands for "环境" (environment) and "保" stands for "保护" (protection), resulting in a compound that directly signifies environmental protection.