Meaning of 保持
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to keep
- to maintain
- to hold
- to preserve
How to use 保持
保持 is used for keeping a state, habit, or relationship unchanged, and it is often followed by abstract nouns like 联系 (liánxì, contact), 安静 (ānjìng, quiet), or 距离 (jùlí, distance). Example: 我们保持联系吧。(Wǒmen bǎochí liánxì ba.) Let's keep in touch.
保 (bǎo) means to protect or keep safe, and 持 (chí) has the hand radical 扌, so it means to hold in your hand. Picture protecting something by holding it steady, so it stays the way it is.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 保持 with 坚持 (jiānchí). 保持 means keeping a state as it is, while 坚持 means pushing on with an effort despite difficulty, so say 坚持学习 for sticking with study, not 保持学习.
保持 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
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持 chí · to hold · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 保持.
| 保护 | bǎohù | to protect; to defend |
| 保证 | bǎozhèng | guarantee; to guarantee |
| 支持 | zhīchí | to be in favor of; to support |
| 坚持 | jiānchí | to persevere with; to persist in |
| 确保 | quèbǎo | to ensure; to guarantee |
| 持续 | chíxù | to continue; to last; to persist |
| 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) |
| 主持 | zhǔchí | to take charge of; to manage or direct |
| 环保 | huánbǎo | environmental protection; environmentally friendly |
Questions about 保持
What does 保持 mean?
保持 (bǎochí) means "to keep; to maintain" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 保持?
保持 is made of 2 characters: 保 (9 strokes), 持 (9 strokes). That is 18 strokes in total.
Is 保持 an HSK word?
Yes. 保持 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 保持 and 保护?
保持 means to keep something in the same state, like 保持健康 (stay healthy). 保护 (bǎohù) means to protect something from harm, like 保护环境 (protect the environment).
Can 保持 be used for keeping physical objects?
Usually not. For keeping or storing an object you use 保存 (bǎocún) or 留着 (liúzhe). 保持 is for conditions, habits, records, and relationships, such as 保持记录 (hold a record).