====== jǐngtì: 警惕 - To be vigilant, To be on guard, To watch out for ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** 警惕, jǐngtì, Chinese be vigilant, Chinese be on guard, watch out for in Chinese, meaning of jǐngtì, jǐngtì example sentence, 提高警惕, 保持警惕, Chinese word for alert
  * **Summary:** The Chinese word **警惕 (jǐngtì)** means to be vigilant, alert, and on guard against potential danger or problems. More than just "being careful," it describes a sustained state of heightened awareness, often used in official warnings about national security, public safety announcements against scams, or personal advice to watch out for specific threats. Understanding **jǐngtì** is key to grasping the Chinese cultural emphasis on foresight, risk prevention, and preparedness.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jǐngtì
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Adjective
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To be vigilant, alert, and on guard against something.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **警惕 (jǐngtì)** as the mindset of a security guard on duty or a person carefully watching their email for phishing scams. It's not about a momentary act of being careful, but a continuous, proactive mental state of watchfulness for a potential threat. It carries a serious and protective tone.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **警 (jǐng):** This character means "to warn" or "alarm." It's composed of 言 (yán - speech) on the left and 敬 (jìng - respect, caution) on the right. The combination suggests delivering a warning with gravity and respect for the danger. You see it in words like **警**察 (jǐngchá - police) and **警**告 (jǐnggào - a warning).
  * **惕 (tì):** This character means "to be apprehensive" or "fearful." It features the heart radical, 忄(xīn), indicating it's related to an emotion or state of mind. The right side, 易 (yì), provides the sound. So, 惕 represents an internal feeling of cautiousness.
  * Together, **警惕 (jǐngtì)** combines the external idea of a "warning" (警) with the internal feeling of "apprehensive alertness" (惕) to create the powerful meaning of being actively vigilant.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, **警惕 (jǐngtì)** often reflects a collective and proactive approach to preventing problems before they arise. It is deeply embedded in the social fabric, from government slogans to parental advice. Phrases like "提高警惕，人人有责" (Tígāo jǐngtì, rén rén yǒu zé - "It is everyone's responsibility to raise vigilance") are common in public campaigns concerning national security, public health, or fraud prevention.
This concept can be contrasted with the Western idea of "being cautious." While "being cautious" is often an individualistic and general piece of advice (e.g., "be cautious when investing"), **警惕** often implies being on guard against a specific, and sometimes external, threat to the group or nation. It carries a stronger undertone of defense and preparedness, rooted in a historical and cultural awareness that stability and safety must be actively maintained, not taken for granted. It's less about avoiding a simple accident and more about defending against a deliberate threat.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**警惕** is used in both formal and informal contexts, but almost always with a serious tone.
  * **Official and Media Usage:** This is its most common environment. News reports, government announcements, and public service broadcasts frequently use **警惕** to warn the public about issues like espionage, telecommunication scams, economic risks, or disease outbreaks. Common collocations are `提高警惕 (tígāo jǐngtì - to raise/heighten vigilance)` and `保持警惕 (bǎochí jǐngtì - to maintain vigilance)`.
  * **Personal and Everyday Conversation:** In daily life, people use it to give serious advice. A parent might tell their child to **警惕** bad influences online. A friend might warn another to **警惕** a suspiciously good investment opportunity. It's stronger and more specific than simply saying `小心 (xiǎoxīn - be careful)`.
  * **As an Adjective:** Less commonly, it can be used as an adjective to describe a person or their expression, e.g., `警惕的目光 (jǐngtì de mùguāng - a vigilant gaze)`.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我们必须对网络诈骗保持高度**警惕**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū duì wǎngluò zhàpiàn bǎochí gāodù **jǐngtì**.
    * English: We must maintain a high degree of vigilance against online scams.
    * Analysis: A very common and practical usage. `保持高度警惕 (bǎochí gāodù jǐngtì)` means "to maintain a high level of vigilance" and is often used in public safety announcements.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 医生提醒他要**警惕**任何复发的迹象。
    * Pinyin: Yīshēng tíxǐng tā yào **jǐngtì** rènhé fùfā de jìxiàng.
    * English: The doctor reminded him to be on the lookout for any signs of relapse.
    * Analysis: Here, **警惕** is used in a medical context, meaning to be watchful and alert for specific symptoms.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 面对复杂的国际形势，我们需要提高**警惕**。
    * Pinyin: Miànduì fùzá de guójì xíngshì, wǒmen xūyào tígāo **jǐngtì**.
    * English: Facing the complex international situation, we need to raise our vigilance.
    * Analysis: This is a typical example from formal news or political discourse. `提高警惕 (tígāo jǐngtì)` is a set phrase meaning "to heighten vigilance."
  * **Example 4:**
    * 父母总是教导孩子要**警惕**陌生人。
    * Pinyin: Fùmǔ zǒngshì jiàodǎo háizi yào **jǐngtì** mòshēngrén.
    * English: Parents always teach their children to be wary of strangers.
    * Analysis: This shows the word used for personal safety advice. It's a serious warning, not just a casual "be careful."
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他用**警惕**的眼光打量着这个不速之客。
    * Pinyin: Tā yòng **jǐngtì** de yǎnguāng dǎliàngzhe zhège bùsùzhīkè.
    * English: He sized up the uninvited guest with a vigilant gaze.
    * Analysis: An example of **警惕** used as an adjective, modifying `眼光 (yǎnguāng - gaze)`.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 投资者应该对市场泡沫**警惕**起来。
    * Pinyin: Tóuzīzhě yīnggāi duì shìchǎng pàomò **jǐngtì** qǐlái.
    * English: Investors should become vigilant about a market bubble.
    * Analysis: The directional complement `起来 (qǐlái)` indicates the beginning of a state of vigilance.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 这封邮件看起来很可疑，你要**警惕**一下。
    * Pinyin: Zhè fēng yóujiàn kànqǐlái hěn kěyí, nǐ yào **jǐngtì** yīxià.
    * English: This email looks very suspicious, you should be on your guard.
    * Analysis: `一下 (yīxià)` softens the tone slightly, making it feel more like direct, friendly advice.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 边防战士时刻**警惕**着边境上的一举一动。
    * Pinyin: Biānfáng zhànshì shíkè **jǐngtì** zhe biānjìng shàng de yījǔyīdòng.
    * English: The border guards are constantly vigilant of every single movement on the border.
    * Analysis: A classic military/security context. The particle `着 (zhe)` indicates the continuous state of being vigilant.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 我们不能放松**警惕**，危险可能就在身边。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng fàngsōng **jǐngtì**, wēixiǎn kěnéng jiù zài shēnbiān.
    * English: We cannot lower our guard; danger could be right beside us.
    * Analysis: `放松警惕 (fàngsōng jǐngtì)` is a common phrase meaning "to relax one's vigilance" or "to let one's guard down."
  * **Example 10:**
    * 对于网上散布的谣言，大家要学会**警惕**和分辨。
    * Pinyin: Duìyú wǎngshàng sànbù de yáoyán, dàjiā yào xuéhuì **jǐngtì** hé fēnbiàn.
    * English: Everyone must learn to be vigilant about and distinguish the rumors spreading online.
    * Analysis: This shows **警惕** used in the context of modern information warfare and misinformation.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **`警惕 (jǐngtì)` vs. `小心 (xiǎoxīn)`:** This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
    * `小心 (xiǎoxīn)` means "be careful." It's used for immediate, often physical, situations. Example: `小心地滑 (xiǎoxīn dì huá)` - "Be careful, the floor is slippery."
    * `警惕 (jǐngtì)` means "be vigilant." It's for a sustained mental state against a potential, often abstract or deliberate, threat. Example: `警惕诈骗 (jǐngtì zhàpiàn)` - "Be vigilant against fraud."
    * **Incorrect Usage:** //"过马路的时候要**警惕**。"// (Guò mǎlù de shíhòu yào jǐngtì.)
    * **Why it's wrong:** While grammatically possible, it sounds overly dramatic, as if you're watching for snipers while crossing the street. The natural word here is `小心 (xiǎoxīn)`. You should be //careful// of traffic, not //vigilant// against it.
  * **Not just "to be aware":** Being "aware" of something is `意识到 (yìshí dào)`. You can be aware of a problem without being vigilant against it. **警惕** implies you are not only aware of a potential danger but are actively watching for it and prepared to act.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[小心]] (xiǎoxīn) - Be careful. More immediate and physical than **警惕**.
  * [[注意]] (zhùyì) - To pay attention. A more general term, not necessarily related to danger.
  * [[防范]] (fángfàn) - To prevent; to be on guard against. Focuses more on the specific defensive actions taken.
  * [[提防]] (dīfang) - To beware of; to take precautions against. Very similar to **警惕**, but often used specifically when being wary of people.
  * [[戒备]] (jièbèi) - To guard; to be on the alert. Has a strong military or security connotation, like a city in a state of high alert.
  * [[警告]] (jǐnggào) - To warn; a warning. The act of giving the information that necessitates **警惕**.
  * [[警报]] (jǐngbào) - An alarm; an alert signal (e.g., a fire alarm, an air-raid siren).
  * [[危机意识]] (wēijī yìshí) - Sense of crisis; awareness of danger. The underlying mindset that leads one to be **警惕**.