bǎozhàng: 保障 - Guarantee, Safeguard, Security, Protection
Quick Summary
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Summary: Bǎozhàng (保障) is a fundamental Chinese term for “guarantee,” “safeguard,” or “protection,” especially in formal contexts. It goes beyond simple physical protection, referring to systemic assurances and safety nets, such as social security (社会保障), legal rights, and quality guarantees. Understanding bǎozhàng is key to grasping how Chinese society views stability, responsibility, and the role of institutions in ensuring well-being.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): bǎozhàng
Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
HSK Level: HSK 5
Concise Definition: To guarantee, safeguard, or protect (verb); a guarantee, safeguard, or protection (noun).
In a Nutshell: Think of `bǎozhàng` not as a bodyguard, but as a “safety net.” It's the system, law, or formal promise that protects you from a potential negative outcome. It's the insurance that covers your health, the law that protects your rights, and the social security system that supports you in old age. The feeling is one of institutional, reliable security and assurance.
Character Breakdown
保 (bǎo): To protect, keep, or ensure. The character is composed of the radical 亻 (rén, person) and a phonetic component. Pictorially, it represents a person protecting or caring for something precious.
障 (zhàng): A barrier, obstacle, or partition. The radical 阝(fù) relates to mounds or hills, suggesting a physical barrier. The rest of the character, 章 (zhāng), provides the sound.
Together, 保障 (bǎozhàng) literally means “to protect from barriers.” This beautifully captures the modern meaning: creating a protective shield or system to ward off potential dangers, obstacles, or hardships.
Cultural Context and Significance
In Chinese culture, which often prioritizes stability, collective well-being, and social harmony, the concept of `bǎozhàng` is paramount. It reflects a deep-seated societal value for security and a predictable future, often provided by a larger entity like the family, a company, or the government.
A useful comparison is with the Western, particularly American, ideal of “opportunity.” While American culture often celebrates the freedom to take risks for high rewards, the concept of `bǎozhàng` highlights a cultural preference for a solid foundation and a reliable safety net. This is historically connected to the concept of the “iron rice bowl” (铁饭碗, tiě fànwǎn), the idea of a secure job for life, which provided ultimate `bǎozhàng` for previous generations. Today, while the iron rice bowl is less common, the desire for robust social and economic `bǎozhàng` remains a central theme in public discourse and government policy.
Practical Usage in Modern China
`Bǎozhàng` is a formal and powerful word used in specific, important contexts.
In Government and Law
This is its most common usage. It appears frequently in official documents, news reports, and legal texts concerning citizens' welfare and rights.
In Social Welfare and Economics
It forms the basis of key terms related to the social safety net.
In Business and Commerce
It is used to signify a formal guarantee, like a warranty or quality assurance.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
政府致力于完善社会保障体系。
Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhìlì yú wánshàn shèhuì bǎozhàng tǐxì.
English: The government is committed to improving the social security system.
Analysis: Here, `保障` is a noun, part of the crucial set phrase 社会保障 (shèhuì bǎozhàng), meaning “social security.”
Example 2:
法律保障每个公民的言论自由。
Pinyin: Fǎlǜ bǎozhàng měi gè gōngmín de yánlùn zìyóu.
English: The law guarantees every citizen's freedom of speech.
Analysis: `保障` is used as a verb, meaning “to guarantee” or “to safeguard.” It implies a formal, systemic protection provided by the law.
Example 3:
有了这份工作，我的基本生活就有了保障。
Pinyin: Yǒule zhè fèn gōngzuò, wǒ de jīběn shēnghuó jiù yǒule bǎozhàng.
English: With this job, my basic livelihood is secured.
Analysis: Used as a noun, `保障` here means a guarantee for one's livelihood. It conveys a sense of stability and security.
Example 4:
我们必须保障国家的粮食安全。
Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū bǎozhàng guójiā de liángshí ānquán.
English: We must ensure the nation's food security.
Analysis: As a verb, `保障` means to ensure or safeguard something of critical national importance.
Example 5:
这个产品有一年的质量保障。
Pinyin: Zhège chǎnpǐn yǒu yī nián de zhìliàng bǎozhàng.
English: This product has a one-year quality guarantee.
Analysis: A common business use. `保障` as a noun refers to a formal warranty or guarantee.
Example 6:
良好的教育是孩子未来发展的保障。
Pinyin: Liánghǎo de jiàoyù shì háizi wèilái fāzhǎn de bǎozhàng.
English: A good education is a guarantee for a child's future development.
Analysis: Here, `保障` is used more abstractly as a noun, meaning a foundational guarantee for future success.
Example 7:
公司采取措施保障员工的职业健康。
Pinyin: Gōngsī cǎiqǔ cuòshī bǎozhàng yuángōng de zhíyè jiànkāng.
English: The company is taking measures to safeguard the occupational health of its employees.
Analysis: A verb showing proactive, systemic protection in a corporate context.
Example 8:
完善的交通网络为经济发展提供了有力保障。
Pinyin: Wánshàn de jiāotōng wǎngluò wèi jīngjì fāzhǎn tígōngle yǒulì bǎozhàng.
English: A complete transportation network provides a strong guarantee for economic development.
Analysis: Used as a noun to describe a foundational support or enabler for a large-scale goal.
Example 9:
我们需要一个机制来保障信息的安全。
Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào yīgè jīzhì lái bǎozhàng xìnxī de ānquán.
English: We need a mechanism to guarantee information security.
Analysis: As a verb, `保障` is often paired with abstract concepts like safety, security, and rights.
Example 10:
充足的睡眠是精力充沛的保障。
Pinyin: Chōngzú de shuìmián shì jīnglì chōngpèi de bǎozhàng.
English: Sufficient sleep is the guarantee of being energetic.
Analysis: A slightly less formal, but still common, use of `保障` as a noun to mean a fundamental requirement or guarantee for a desired state.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
The most common mistake for learners is confusing `保障 (bǎozhàng)` with `保护 (bǎohù)`.
保障 (bǎozhàng): Systemic, formal, often abstract “safeguard” or “guarantee.” It's about preventing a problem through systems, rules, or resources.
保护 (bǎohù): Direct, active, often physical “protection.” It's about shielding something from immediate harm.
Common Mistake: Saying “警察保障市民” (Jǐngchá bǎozhàng shìmín). This sounds odd, as it implies the police are a systemic guarantee rather than active protectors. The reverse, “法律保护我们的权利,” is acceptable but `保障` is more precise for the systemic nature of law.
Another pitfall is using `保障` for informal promises. In English, you might say, “I guarantee I'll be there!” You cannot use `保障` for this. You should use `保证 (bǎozhèng)`.
保护 (bǎohù): To protect. More direct, active, and often physical than `保障`.
保证 (bǎozhèng): To promise, to pledge. Refers to a specific vow or commitment, often personal, whereas `保障` refers to a system or formal safeguard.
安全 (ānquán): Safety; security. This is the
state of being safe. `保障` is often the
means to achieve `安全`.
权利 (quánlì): Rights. The law provides `保障` for your `权利`.
福利 (fúlì): Welfare; benefits. A country's social `保障` system is a core part of its `福利` program.
维护 (wéihù): To maintain; to uphold. Similar to `保障`, but focuses on preserving an existing good state (e.g., maintaining social order), while `保障` focuses on providing a safety net against a potential bad state.
保险 (bǎoxiǎn): Insurance. A specific financial product that provides `保障` against risks like illness or accidents.
铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn): “Iron rice bowl.” A colloquial term for a secure, stable job for life, considered the ultimate form of personal economic `保障` in the past.