Meaning of 保卫
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to defend
- to safeguard
How to use 保卫
保卫 is a formal verb used for defending something large or important, such as a country, a city, peace, or people's safety. It often appears in news, history, and official language. Example: 他们保卫自己的国家。(Tāmen bǎowèi zìjǐ de guójiā.) They defend their own country.
保卫 combines 保 (bǎo), to keep safe, and 卫 (wèi), to guard. Picture someone keeping a place safe while standing guard at the gate.
Common mistake: Learners often use 保卫 where 保护 (bǎohù) fits better. For everyday things like protecting your eyes or the environment, say 保护眼睛 or 保护环境, not 保卫. Also keep the tones straight: third tone bǎo, fourth tone wèi.
保卫 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
保 bǎo · to defend · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
卫 wèi · to guard · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Related words
Words that share a character with 保卫.
| 保护 | bǎohù | to protect; to defend |
| 保证 | bǎozhèng | guarantee; to guarantee |
| 保持 | bǎochí | to keep; to maintain |
| 确保 | quèbǎo | to ensure; to guarantee |
| 保安 | bǎo'ān | to ensure public security; to ensure safety (for workers engaged in production) |
| 保险 | bǎoxiǎn | insurance; to insure |
| 保留 | bǎoliú | to keep; to retain |
| 保存 | bǎocún | to conserve; to preserve; to keep; to store; (computing) to save (a file etc) |
| 卫生间 | wèishēngjiān | bathroom; toilet |
| 卫生 | wèishēng | hygienic; sanitary; hygiene; sanitation |
| 环保 | huánbǎo | environmental protection; environmentally friendly |
| 保密 | bǎomì | to keep sth confidential; to maintain secrecy |
Questions about 保卫
What does 保卫 mean?
保卫 (bǎowèi) means "to defend; to safeguard" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 保卫?
保卫 is made of 2 characters: 保 (9 strokes), 卫 (3 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 保卫 an HSK word?
Yes. 保卫 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 保卫 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 保卫 is written 保衛.
What is the difference between 保卫 and 保护?
保卫 means defending against an attack or threat, usually on a big scale, like 保卫祖国 (defend the motherland). 保护 is broader and gentler. It means protecting from harm in general, like 保护动物 (protect animals).
Can 保卫 be used as a noun?
Yes, it often appears in compound nouns. 保卫科 (bǎowèi kē) is a security department at a company or school, and 保卫战 (bǎowèi zhàn) means a defensive battle.