护 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) to protect; to guard; to defend (sb) out of partiality
How to write 护, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 护
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to protect; to guard
- to defend (sb) out of partiality
How 护 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Guarding 扌 a home 户; 户 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 护
A hand 扌 stands guard at the door of a home 户 (hù), protecting what is inside. The 户 part also gives the sound, so 护 is read hù just like 户.
护 is a bound form, so it usually appears inside words like 保护 (bǎohù, to protect), 护照 (hùzhào, passport), and 护士 (hùshi, nurse). It can also mean defending someone out of bias, as in 护短 (hùduǎn). Example: 我们要保护环境。(Wǒmen yào bǎohù huánjìng.) We should protect the environment.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 护 with 沪 (hù, Shanghai), which has the same sound and the same 户 part but uses the water radical 氵 instead of the hand 扌. Also note that in 护士 (hùshi) the second syllable is usually said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 护
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 护照 | hùzhào | passport | HSK 2 |
| 保护 | bǎohù | to protect; to defend | HSK 3 |
| 护士 | hùshi | nurse | HSK 4 |
| 维护 | wéihù | to defend; to safeguard | HSK 4 |
| 爱护 | àihù | to cherish; to treasure | HSK 4 |
| 掩护 | yǎnhù | to screen; to shield | HSK 7-9 |
| 救护车 | jiùhùchē | ambulance | HSK 7-9 |
| 辩护 | biànhù | to speak in defense of; to argue in favor of | HSK 7-9 |
| 守护 | shǒuhù | to guard; to protect | HSK 7-9 |
| 护理 | hùlǐ | to nurse; to care for | HSK 7-9 |
| 防护 | fánghù | to defend; to protect | HSK 7-9 |
| 看护 | kānhù | to nurse; to look after | HSK 7-9 |
| 监护 | jiānhù | to act as a guardian | HSK 7-9 |
| 拥护 | yōnghù | to endorse; to support | HSK 7-9 |
护 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 护
How many strokes are in 护?
护 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 护 mean?
护 (hù) means (bound form) to protect; to guard; to defend (sb) out of partiality. A common word with it is 护照 (hùzhào), meaning "passport".
How do you pronounce 护?
护 is pronounced hù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 护?
The radical of 护 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 护 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 护?
The traditional form of 护 is 護. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 护 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 护 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 护 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Can I use 护 by itself to mean protect?
Not usually. In everyday speech you say 保护 (bǎohù) or 爱护 (àihù) rather than 护 alone. Single 护 mostly shows up in set phrases or written style.
What is the difference between 保护 and 维护?
保护 (bǎohù) means protecting someone or something from harm, like people, animals, or the environment. 维护 (wéihù) means maintaining or safeguarding something abstract or ongoing, like order, rights, or peace, and it can also mean maintaining equipment.