保守

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保守 [2025/08/15 22:04] – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1保守 [2025/08/15 22:04] (current) – created xiaoer
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 +====== bǎoshǒu: 保守 - Conservative, To Guard/Keep ====== 
 +===== Quick Summary ===== 
 +  * **Keywords:** bǎoshǒu, baoshou, 保守, conservative in Chinese, traditional Chinese, Chinese culture, guard a secret, keep a secret, bǎoshǒu meaning, Chinese adjective 
 +  * **Summary:** The Chinese word **保守 (bǎoshǒu)** translates to "conservative," but its meaning is far broader than in Western political contexts. It describes a mindset, lifestyle, or strategy focused on preserving tradition, avoiding risk, and favoring gradual change. From describing a person's modest clothing and traditional values to a prudent business investment, understanding **bǎoshǒu** is key to grasping important cultural attitudes in Chinese society. It can also be used as a verb meaning "to guard" or "to keep," such as keeping a secret. 
 +===== Core Meaning ===== 
 +  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** bǎo shǒu 
 +  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective, Verb 
 +  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 
 +  * **Concise Definition:** To be conservative; to guard or keep (a secret, etc.). 
 +  * **In a Nutshell:** **保守 (bǎoshǒu)** is about holding onto and protecting what already exists. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that is resistant to change, traditional, and cautious. This can apply to a person's ideas (思想保守 - sīxiǎng bǎoshǒu), their style of dress (穿着保守 - chuānzhuó bǎoshǒu), or a financial plan (投资保守 - tóuzī bǎoshǒu). As a verb, it means to actively guard something, most commonly a secret. The overall feeling is one of stability, caution, and a preference for the familiar over the new. 
 +===== Character Breakdown ===== 
 +  * **保 (bǎo):** To protect, keep, or guard. This character is composed of the "person" radical (亻) on the left and a component that originally depicted a person carrying a child, symbolizing protection and care. 
 +  * **守 (shǒu):** To guard, defend, or keep watch. This character shows a roof (宀) over a hand/inch (寸), evoking the image of guarding one's home or post. 
 +  * Together, **保守 (bǎoshǒu)** literally means "protect and guard." This powerful combination creates the modern meaning of "conservatism"—the act of defending existing norms, traditions, and states of being from change or risk. 
 +===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== 
 +In Chinese culture, **保守 (bǎoshǒu)** is a deeply rooted concept often linked to Confucian values that prioritize stability, harmony, and respect for tradition and elders. For much of Chinese history, being **保守** was considered a virtue. It meant you were reliable, prudent, and unlikely to cause disruptive trouble for your family or society. 
 +This contrasts sharply with the Western, particularly American, concept of "conservative." In the U.S., "conservative" is primarily a political label associated with a specific party, advocating for policies like free-market capitalism and individual liberty. While Chinese conservatism can have political dimensions, it is more fundamentally a //cultural and personal stance//. 
 +A Chinese person might be described as **保守** if they: 
 +  * Believe in traditional family structures and filial piety. 
 +  * Prefer saving money over making risky investments. 
 +  * Dress modestly. 
 +  * Are hesitant to adopt foreign trends or radical new ideas. 
 +Therefore, calling someone **保守** in China is less of a political statement and more of a comment on their personality and approach to life. It can be neutral, slightly positive (implying they are steady and dependable), or slightly negative (implying they are close-minded and old-fashioned), depending heavily on the context and the speaker's own values. 
 +===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== 
 +The use of **保守** is widespread and highly contextual. Its connotation can shift from positive to negative depending on the situation. 
 +  * **Describing People and Ideas (Often Neutral to Negative):** 
 +    When describing a person's thinking or personality (思想很保守 - "thoughts are very conservative"), it often implies they are not open-minded or are "stuck in the past." This is a common point of gentle conflict between younger, more globalized generations and their more traditional parents or grandparents. 
 +  * **Business and Finance (Often Neutral to Positive):** 
 +    In a business or investment context, **保守** is usually a positive or neutral term. A **保守** investment strategy (保守的投资策略) is a safe, low-risk one. A **保守** estimate (保守估计) is a cautious, likely understated one, which is seen as responsible planning. 
 +  * **Fashion and Lifestyle (Neutral):** 
 +    Describing someone's clothing as **保守** (穿着很保守) simply means it's modest, not revealing or flashy. It's a factual description without strong judgment. 
 +  * **As a Verb (Neutral):** 
 +    The most common verb usage is in the phrase **保守秘密 (bǎoshǒu mìmì)**, meaning "to keep a secret." Here, it simply means to guard information faithfully. 
 +===== Example Sentences ===== 
 +  * **Example 1:** 
 +    * 我父母的思想比较**保守**，不太能接受新事物。 
 +    * Pinyin: Wǒ fùmǔ de sīxiǎng bǐjiào **bǎoshǒu**, bù tài néng jiēshòu xīn shìwù. 
 +    * English: My parents' thinking is relatively **conservative**; they can't really accept new things. 
 +    * Analysis: This is a very common and neutral way to describe the generational gap in attitudes. 
 +  * **Example 2:** 
 +    * 在投资方面，他一向很**保守**，只买最安全的股票。 
 +    * Pinyin: Zài tóuzī fāngmiàn, tā yīxiàng hěn **bǎoshǒu**, zhǐ mǎi zuì ānquán de gǔpiào. 
 +    * English: In terms of investing, he has always been very **conservative**, only buying the safest stocks. 
 +    * Analysis: Here, **保守** has a positive or neutral connotation of being prudent and risk-averse. 
 +  * **Example 3:** 
 +    * 这是一个**保守**估计，实际利润可能会更高。 
 +    * Pinyin: Zhè shì yīgè **bǎoshǒu** gūjì, shíjì lìrùn kěnéng huì gèng gāo. 
 +    * English: This is a **conservative** estimate; the actual profit might be higher. 
 +    * Analysis: A standard phrase in business and planning. It means the estimate is intentionally on the low side to be safe. 
 +  * **Example 4:** 
 +    * 她的穿着风格非常**保守**，从不穿短裙。 
 +    * Pinyin: Tā de chuānzhuó fēnggé fēicháng **bǎoshǒu**, cóngbù chuān duǎnqún. 
 +    * English: Her style of dress is very **conservative**; she never wears short skirts. 
 +    * Analysis: A neutral, factual description of someone's clothing choices. 
 +  * **Example 5:** 
 +    * 请你一定要为我**保守**这个秘密。 
 +    * Pinyin: Qǐng nǐ yīdìng yào wèi wǒ **bǎoshǒu** zhège mìmì. 
 +    * English: Please, you must **keep** this secret for me. 
 +    * Analysis: This showcases the verb usage of **保守**, meaning "to guard" or "to keep." 
 +  * **Example 6:** 
 +    * 医生建议先采取**保守**治疗，如果没效果再考虑手术。 
 +    * Pinyin: Yīshēng jiànyì xiān cǎiqǔ **bǎoshǒu** zhìliáo, rúguǒ méi xiàoguǒ zài kǎolǜ shǒushù. 
 +    * English: The doctor recommended trying **conservative** treatment first, and only considering surgery if it's not effective. 
 +    * Analysis: In medicine, **保守治疗 (bǎoshǒu zhìliáo)** refers to non-invasive treatments like medication or physical therapy, as opposed to surgery. 
 +  * **Example 7:** 
 +    * 他因为太**保守**而错过了这个绝佳的商业机会。 
 +    * Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi tài **bǎoshǒu** ér cuòguòle zhège juéjiā de shāngyè jīhuì. 
 +    * English: He missed this excellent business opportunity because he was too **conservative**. 
 +    * Analysis: This example highlights the negative side of being **保守**—being overly cautious can lead to inaction and missed opportunities. 
 +  * **Example 8:** 
 +    * 这个公司的发展策略一直很**保守**，追求稳定而不是快速扩张。 
 +    * Pinyin: Zhège gōngsī de fāzhǎn cèlüè yīzhí hěn **bǎoshǒu**, zhuīqiú wěndìng ér bùshì kuàisù kuòzhāng. 
 +    * English: This company's development strategy has always been very **conservative**, pursuing stability rather than rapid expansion. 
 +    * Analysis: A neutral description of a business model, which could be seen as either wise or timid depending on the industry. 
 +  * **Example 9:** 
 +    * 在约会这件事上，她的观念非常**保守**。 
 +    * Pinyin: Zài yuēhuì zhè jiàn shì shàng, tā de guānniàn fēicháng **bǎoshǒu**. 
 +    * English: When it comes to dating, her views are very **conservative**. 
 +    * Analysis: This refers to traditional views on relationships, such as believing in waiting for marriage or following formal courtship rules. 
 +  * **Example 10:** 
 +    * 球队教练在比赛中采用了**保守**的战术，以防守为主。 
 +    * Pinyin: Qiúduì jiàoliàn zài bǐsài zhōng cǎiyòngle **bǎoshǒu** de zhànshù, yǐ fángshǒu wéi zhǔ. 
 +    * English: The team's coach adopted a **conservative** tactic in the game, focusing mainly on defense. 
 +    * Analysis: Used in sports to describe a low-risk, defensive strategy. 
 +===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== 
 +  * **False Friend: "Conservative" (Political Party):** The most common mistake for English speakers is to map **保守** directly onto their home country's political landscape. While China has political factions, **保守** is rarely used to describe a formal political party affiliation like "Conservative" or "Republican." It's a descriptor of an approach or ideology, not a party name. 
 +  * **Not Always Negative:** Learners often assume **保守** is a criticism, meaning "old-fashioned" or "close-minded." As the examples show, in contexts like finance, medicine, or engineering, being **保守** is a positive trait that implies being safe, reliable, and prudent. Context is everything. 
 +  * **保守 vs. 害羞 (hàixiū - shy):** A beginner might incorrectly use **保守** to mean "shy" or "introverted." While a culturally conservative person might also be reserved, the words have different meanings. **保守** is about one's beliefs and resistance to change, while **害羞** is about social anxiety or discomfort around people. 
 +    * **Incorrect:** 他很**保守**，不敢在大家面前说话。(He is very **conservative**, so he doesn't dare to speak in front of everyone.) 
 +    * **Correct:** 他很**害羞**，不敢在大家面前说话。(He is very **shy**, so he doesn't dare to speak in front of everyone.) 
 +===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== 
 +  * [[传统]] (chuántǒng) - Tradition; Traditional. A person who is **保守** highly values **传统**. 
 +  * [[守旧]] (shǒujiù) - Old-fashioned; hidebound. Literally "guard the old." This is a more negative version of **保守**, implying a stubborn and irrational resistance to all change. 
 +  * [[开放]] (kāifàng) - Open; open-minded. The direct antonym of **保守**. It can describe a person's liberal views, an "open" personality, or China's "reform and opening-up" policy (改革开放). 
 +  * [[稳健]] (wěnjiàn) - Prudent; sound; steady. A very positive synonym for **保守** used almost exclusively in finance and business. It emphasizes stability and reliability without the negative connotation of being "old-fashioned." 
 +  * [[含蓄]] (hánxù) - Reserved; implicit; veiled. Describes a style of communication where feelings are not stated directly. This is a behavioral trait often associated with people who have **保守** values, but it is not the same thing. 
 +  * [[秘密]] (mìmì) - Secret. The noun most commonly paired with **保守** when it's used as a verb: **保守秘密** (to keep a secret). 
 +  * [[落后]] (luòhòu) - To fall behind; backward. This is often used to criticize a system or idea that is too **保守**, causing it to become outdated and inefficient.