保 bǎo
verb
: to defend; to protect
: to keep
: to guarantee; to ensure
: Bulgaria; Bulgarian; abbr. for 保加利亚
Kun Reading
保つ | たもつ tamotsu
godan verb with tu ending | transitive verb
: to keep; to preserve; to hold; to retain; to maintain; to support; to sustain; to last; to endure
: to keep well (Food term)
: to wear well; to be durable
On Reading
ホ ho、ホウ hou
保安 bao3an1: to ensure public security; to ensure safety (for workers engaged in production); public security; security guard
[ほあん hoan: peace preservation; security]
保險[险] bao3xian3: to insure, insurance
[保険 | ほけん hoken: insurance; guarantee]
[付保 | ふほ fuho: insurance]
保管 bao3guan3: to assure; to guarantee; to take care of; to safeguard; certainly; surely
[ほかん hokan: charge; custody; safekeeping; deposit; storage]
保護[护] bao3hu4: to protect; to defend; to safeguard; protection
[保護 | ほご hogo: care; protection; shelter; safeguard; guardianship; favor; patronage]
保健 bao3jian4: health protection; health care; to maintain in good health
[ほけん hoken: health preservation; hygiene; sanitation]
保持 bao3chi2: to keep; to maintain; to hold; to preserve
[ほじ hoji: retention; maintenance; preservation]
保證[证] bao3zheng4: guarantee; to guarantee; to ensure; to safeguard; to pledge
[保証 | ほしょう hoshou: guarantee; security; assurance; pledge; warranty]
保留 bao3liu2: to retain; to continue to have; to preserve; to maintain; to reserve; reservations; to hold back (approval or acceptance)
[保留 horyuu: ほりゅう: reserve; putting on hold; deferment
: hold (e.g. telephone button); pending]
保衛[卫] bao3wei4: to defend; to safeguard
確[确]保 que4bao3: to ensure; to guarantee
[確保 | かくほ kakuho: guarantee; maintain; ensure; insure; secure; reservation]
擔[担]保 dan1bao3: to guarantee; to vouch for
[担保 | たんぽ tanpo: security; collateral (e.g. mortgage)]
環[环]保 huan2bao3: environmental protection; environmentally friendly
投保 tou2bao3: to take out insurance; to insure
宮保雞丁 [宫保鸡丁] gong1 bao3 ji1 ding1: Kung Pao Chicken; spicy diced chicken
Japanese common word | expression | yojijukugo 四字熟語 | idiom
*明哲保身 | めいてつほしん meitetsu hoshin
: (yoji) wisdom and self-protection; wise and skilled in the art of self-protection
自己保全 | じこほぜん jiko hozen
: (yoji) self-protection; self-preservation
Chinese common word | chengyu 成語 | expression | idiom
*明哲保身 ming2 zhe2 bao3 shen1
: a wise man looks after his own hide; to put one’s own safety before matters of principle
善自保重 shan4 zi4 bao3 zhong4
: take good care of yourself!
自身難保 [自身难保] zi4 shen1 nan2 bao3
: powerless to defend oneself; helpless
泥菩薩過江，自身難保 [泥菩萨过江，自身难保] ni2 pu2 sa4 guo4 jiang1 , zi4 shen1 nan2 bao3
: like a clay Bodhisattva fording a river, can’t guarantee his own safety; unable to save oneself, let alone others
魚生火，肉生痰，青菜豆腐保平安 [鱼生火，肉生痰，青菜豆腐保平安] yu2 sheng1 huo3 , rou4 sheng1 tan2 , qing1 cai4 dou4 fu5 bao3 ping2 an1
: fish brings heat, meat brings phlegm, vegetables and tofu keep you healthy
会意 Associative Compound.
Person 亻(ren3: person radical 9) taking care of
a baby 呆 (dai1: dull, foolish, baby).
形声 Pictophonetic.
亻 (ren3: person radical 9) suggests the meaning while
呆 (dai1: dull, foolish, baby) provides the sound.
Look-alike:
誤 [误] wu4: mistake; error; to miss; to harm; to delay; to neglect; mistakenly
[kun: あやまり ayamari, ayamaru, あやまち ayamachi, あやまつ ayamatsu. on: ゴ go]
Examples:
這個芒果保留給我。
zhe4ge mang2guo3 bao3liu2 gei3 wo3
Keep this mango for me.
