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March 24, 2026
保守bǎoshǒu(bao3shou3)
保守 (bǎoshǒu) primarily means to guard or keep something safe, often used in contexts like preserving traditions or values. It can also refer to a conservative attitude, implying resistance to change or innovation in social or political matters.
Frequency#2974DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being 保守 is often viewed as a virtue, especially in family and societal contexts, where preserving traditions is highly valued. This contrasts with the more change-oriented attitudes seen in many Western societies.
Memory Tip
Imagine a guardian (保) standing under a protective roof (守), ensuring that nothing changes in the environment around them. This guardian is 'keeping' things as they are, which helps you remember that 保守 means to guard or be conservative.
Meanings of 保守
bǎoshǒu(bao3shou3)
1conservative
2to guard
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 保守
保守Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2974Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 保守
Podcast: 保守
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AI Study Notes for 保守
Quick Contrast
保守 (bǎoshǒu) vs 传统 (chuántǒng) — use 保守 when emphasizing a conservative attitude or resistance to change, while 传统 focuses on the concept of tradition itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a guardian (保) standing under a protective roof (守), ensuring that nothing changes in the environment around them. This guardian is 'keeping' things as they are, which helps you remember that 保守 means to guard or be conservative.
Usage Notes
In informal settings, 保守 can describe someone's attitude toward change, while in formal contexts, it may refer to political conservatism. Common collocations include 保守的态度 (conservative attitude) and 保守秘密 (keep a secret). Be cautious with the tone; a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
At HSK Level 6, students should focus on using 保守 in both social and political contexts. It connects well with other vocabulary related to opinions and attitudes, like 传统 (tradition) and 改革 (reform), helping to deepen understanding of social discussions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being 保守 is often viewed as a virtue, especially in family and societal contexts, where preserving traditions is highly valued. This contrasts with the more change-oriented attitudes seen in many Western societies.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 保守 with 保持 (bǎochí), which means 'to maintain' rather than 'to guard.' For example, saying '我保持传统' (I maintain tradition) instead of '我保守传统' (I guard/traditionally hold onto tradition) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 保守
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Grammar Patterns of 保守
保守 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
别担心，佩林先生，我会____你的秘密。
Don'tworry, Mr Palin, your secret is safe with me.
Jones himself was a curious mixture of ra-dicalism and conservatism.
5
海格被自己那一套保守的战略战术所束缚。
hǎi gé bèi zì jǐ nà yī tào bǎo shǒu de zhàn lüè zhàn shù suǒ shù fù。
Haig was limited by his blinkered approach to strategy and tactics.
6
那就是为什么我必须得相信你会保守这个秘密的原因。
nà jiù shì wéi shí mó wǒ bì xū dé xiāng xìn nǐ huì bǎo shǒu zhè gè mì mì de yuán yīn。
That's why I must trust you to keep this secret.
7
我们认为被称作“保守分子”是对我们的一种赞赏。
wǒ mén rèn wéi bèi chēng zuò“ “ bǎo shǒu fēn” zǐ ” shì duì wǒ mén de yī zhǒng。
We consider it a compliment to be called "conservative"
8
自朋克乐之后，摇滚乐已经变得太商业化、太保守了。
zì péng kè lè zhī hòu， ， yáo gǔn lè yǐ jīng biàn dé tài shāng yè、 huà 、 tài bǎo。
Rock'n'roll has become so commercialized and safe since punk.
9
喂，如果我告诉你一件事，你能答应保守秘密吗？
wèi， ， rú guǒ wǒ gào sù nǐ yī jiàn， shì ， nǐ néng dá yīng bǎo shǒu mì？
Look, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it under your hat?
10
到目前为止，这笔账单保守估计为大约2.2万英镑。
dào mù qián wéi zhǐ， ， zhè bǐ zhàng dān bǎo shǒu gū jì wéi dà2.2 yuē 2.2 wàn。
A conservative estimate of the bill, so far, is about £22,
Cultural Notes for 保守
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, being 保守 is often viewed as a virtue, especially in family and societal contexts, where preserving traditions is highly valued. This contrasts with the more change-oriented attitudes seen in many Western societies.
Frequently Asked Questions about 保守
保守 refers to being conservative or guarding against change, while 保留 means to retain or keep something that might otherwise be given up.
Yes, 保守 can be positive when discussing the importance of preserving valuable traditions or practices.
No, while it is often used politically, it can also apply to personal attitudes or approaches in various situations.
