Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== bǎowèi: 保卫 - Defend, Safeguard ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** baowei, 保卫, defend in Chinese, safeguard in Chinese, protect vs defend Chinese, bǎowèi meaning, Chinese word for defend, HSK 5 vocabulary, protect the motherland in Chinese, 保卫祖国 * **Summary:** Learn the powerful Chinese verb **保卫 (bǎowèi)**, meaning "to defend" or "to safeguard." This term goes beyond simple protection; it implies an active, vigilant defense against a threat, often in a military, national, or ideological context. This page breaks down its cultural significance in patriotism, its practical use in modern China, and how it differs from the more common word for "protect," [[保护]] (bǎohù). ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** bǎo wèi * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** To defend or safeguard something important (like a country, people, or principles) from attack or harm. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of `保卫 (bǎowèi)` as the action of a soldier, a guard, or a guardian. It’s not just about keeping something safe in a passive way; it's about actively standing watch, fending off threats, and resisting attack. The word carries a sense of duty, honor, and seriousness. While you might `保护 (bǎohù)` your phone with a case, you would `保卫 (bǎowèi)` your country, your home, or your ideals. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **保 (bǎo):** This character's original form showed a person protecting a child. Its core meaning is to protect, keep, or ensure. * **卫 (wèi):** This character is a pictogram of a person walking a patrol route around a perimeter or city wall. It means to guard or defend. * **Together:** The combination of `保 (bǎo)` and `卫 (wèi)` is very potent. It creates the meaning of "to guard in order to protect." It emphasizes a proactive and vigilant defense to ensure the safety and integrity of something precious. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * `保卫 (bǎowèi)` is a cornerstone of Chinese patriotic and collective identity. The phrase `保卫祖国 (bǎowèi zǔguó)`, "defend the motherland," is a powerful and frequently used expression found in national slogans, songs, and movies. It evokes a strong sense of collective duty and sacrifice for the nation. * **Comparison to "Defend" in the West:** In English, "defend" can be used in a wide range of contexts, from the serious ("defend the nation") to the mundane ("defend my title" in a video game) or academic ("defend my thesis"). While `保卫` can be used metaphorically, its primary feeling is much more solemn and serious than the casual uses of "defend." It's rarely used for personal or trivial matters. Using `保卫` for something like defending a sports championship would sound overly dramatic and almost comical in Chinese. The term is deeply connected to the cultural value of collectivism, where the security of the group (family, community, nation) is paramount. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Formal and Official Contexts:** This is the most common use of `保卫`. You will see it constantly in news reports, government documents, and military discourse. * `保卫国家安全 (bǎowèi guójiā ānquán)` - to safeguard national security * `保卫领土完整 (bǎowèi lǐngtǔ wánzhěng)` - to defend territorial integrity * **Metaphorical Usage:** It can be used to describe defending abstract but important concepts. This usage is still quite formal and carries significant weight. * `保卫和平 (bǎowèi hépíng)` - to defend peace * `保卫我们的劳动成果 (bǎowèi wǒmen de láodòng chéngguǒ)` - to safeguard the fruits of our labor * **Connotation:** `保卫` is almost always positive and noble. It implies a righteous struggle against a negative force. It is a formal word; for everyday "protection," you would use [[保护]] (bǎohù). ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 士兵的职责是**保卫**国家。 * Pinyin: Shìbīng de zhízé shì **bǎowèi** guójiā. * English: The duty of a soldier is to defend the country. * Analysis: This is the most classic and direct use of `保卫`, linking it to military duty and national defense. * **Example 2:** * 我们要团结起来，**保卫**我们的家园。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen yào tuánjié qǐlái, **bǎowèi** wǒmen de jiāyuán. * English: We must unite to defend our homeland. * Analysis: `家园 (jiāyuán)` means homeland or community. This sentence shows `保卫` used in the context of protecting one's home community, implying a collective effort against a threat. * **Example 3:** * 全世界人民都渴望**保卫**世界和平。 * Pinyin: Quán shìjiè rénmín dōu kěwàng **bǎowèi** shìjiè hépíng. * English: People all over the world long to safeguard world peace. * Analysis: Here, `保卫` is used metaphorically to defend an abstract concept: peace. It implies that peace is under threat and requires active defense. * **Example 4:** * 消防员冒着生命危险，**保卫**人民的生命财产安全。 * Pinyin: Xiāofángyuán màozhe shēngmìng wēixiǎn, **bǎowèi** rénmín de shēngmìng cáichǎn ānquán. * English: Firefighters risk their lives to safeguard the safety of the people's lives and property. * Analysis: This extends the use of `保卫` to emergency responders, highlighting their role as protectors of the public against dangers like fire. * **Example 5:** * 他的工作是**保卫**这片珍贵的自然保护区。 * Pinyin: Tā de gōngzuò shì **bǎowèi** zhè piàn zhēnguì de zìrán bǎohùqū. * English: His job is to safeguard this precious nature reserve. * Analysis: This shows `保卫` being used to protect a physical location (a nature reserve) from threats like poaching or illegal logging. * **Example 6:** * 我们必须**保卫**言论自由的基本权利。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū **bǎowèi** yánlùn zìyóu de jīběn quánlì. * English: We must defend the fundamental right to freedom of speech. * Analysis: Another strong, metaphorical use for defending a principle or right. It suggests that this right is being challenged. * **Example 7:** * 在数字时代，**保卫**个人信息安全至关重要。 * Pinyin: Zài shùzì shídài, **bǎowèi** gèrén xìnxī ānquán zhì guān zhòngyào. * English: In the digital age, safeguarding personal information security is critically important. * Analysis: This is a modern application of `保卫`, applied to the concept of cybersecurity. It frames data protection as an active defense against threats like hackers. * **Example 8:** * 历史告诉我们，国家的尊严需要人民来**保卫**。 * Pinyin: Lìshǐ gàosù wǒmen, guójiā de zūnyán xūyào rénmín lái **bǎowèi**. * English: History tells us that a nation's dignity needs to be defended by its people. * Analysis: This sentence connects `保卫` to the abstract concept of national dignity (`尊严`), framing it as something that can be attacked and must be protected. * **Example 9:** * 守门员成功**保卫**了球门，没有让对手得分。 * Pinyin: Shǒuményuán chénggōng **bǎowèi** le qiúmén, méiyǒu ràng duìshǒu défēn. * English: The goalkeeper successfully defended the goal, not letting the opponent score. * Analysis: This is one of the few non-military/political contexts where `保卫` can be used. It works here because a goalkeeper's role is literally to guard a post against attack, mirroring the core meaning of `卫 (wèi)`. However, this is less common than using other sports-specific verbs. * **Example 10:** * 誓死**保卫**我们的劳动成果！ * Pinyin: Shìsǐ **bǎowèi** wǒmen de láodòng chéngguǒ! * English: We swear to defend the fruits of our labor to the death! * Analysis: This is a slogan-like sentence (`誓死` means "to vow to the death"). It shows the intensity and high stakes often associated with `保卫`. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`保卫 (bǎowèi)` vs. `保护 (bǎohù)`: The Biggest Pitfall** * This is the most common point of confusion for learners. They are not interchangeable. * **`保卫 (bǎowèi)`** is **active defense against a known or active threat**. It implies resistance and fighting back. Think of soldiers, guards, and antibodies. * **Correct:** `保卫国家` (defend the country from invaders). * **Incorrect:** `保卫你的眼睛` (to mean "wear sunglasses"). This sounds absurdly dramatic. * **`保护 (bǎohù)`** is **general protection from potential harm**. It's about shelter, care, and prevention. Think of a parent, a password, or sunscreen. * **Correct:** `保护眼睛` (protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses). * **Correct:** `保护环境` (protect the environment, a general and continuous action). * **Example of Incorrect vs. Correct Usage:** * **Incorrect:** 我要**保卫**我的手机不被摔坏。 (Wǒ yào bǎowèi wǒ de shǒujī bú bèi shuāi huài.) - This sounds like you are expecting an enemy to attack your phone. * **Correct:** 我要用手机壳**保护**我的手机。 (Wǒ yào yòng shǒujī ké bǎohù wǒ de shǒujī.) - "I want to use a phone case to protect my phone." ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[保护]] (bǎohù) - To protect. The most common and general term for keeping something safe from harm. The key counterpart to `保卫`. * [[防卫]] (fángwèi) - To defend (oneself or a place). Focuses more on the reactive action of fending off an attack. "Self-defense" is `正当防卫 (zhèng dāng fángwèi)`. * [[守卫]] (shǒuwèi) - To guard or stand watch over a specific location, like a gate, a building, or a post. More static than `保卫`. * [[捍卫]] (hànwèi) - To defend vigorously and unyieldingly, almost always used for abstract principles like honor, dignity, rights, or truth. It's even more formal and stronger than `保卫`. * [[国防]] (guófáng) - National defense. The system, policy, and military apparatus that exists to `保卫` the country. * [[祖国]] (zǔguó) - Motherland. The entity that is most frequently the object of the verb `保卫`. * [[安全]] (ānquán) - Safety; security. This is the state or condition that one hopes to achieve through the act of `保卫`. * [[士兵]] (shìbīng) - Soldier. A person whose job is to `保卫` their country. * [[家园]] (jiāyuán) - Homeland; home. A place one feels a duty to `保卫`.