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保守 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
保守bǎoshǒuconservativeHSK 7, v, rank #2974, Medium
保守bǎoshǒuto guardHSK 7, v, rank #2974, Medium
保守bǎoshǒuto keepHSK 7, v, rank #2974, Medium
bǎoshǒu(bao3shou3) T3
  1. 1conservative
  2. 2to guard
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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

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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

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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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Component Characters

保bǎoto defend
HSK 59 strokes亻
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守shǒuto guard
HSK 56 strokes宀
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Write 保守

保
守

Practice writing 保守 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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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.

Example Sentences for 保守 (16)

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1
别担心，佩林先生，我会保守你的秘密。

bié dān xīn， ， pèi lín xiān， shēng ， wǒ huì bǎo shǒu nǐ de。

Don'tworry, Mr Palin, your secret is safe with me.
2
他可能过于保守，而不是过于宽宏大量。

tā kě néng guò yú bǎo shǒu， ， ér bù shì guò yú kuān hóng dà。

He probably erred on the conservative rather than the generous side.
3
《华尔街日报》的一篇社论概述了很多保守派人士的观点。

《 《 huá ěr jiē rì》 bào 》 de yī piān shè lùn gài shù le hěn duō bǎo shǒu pài rén shì de。

A Wall Street Journal editorial encapsulated the views of many conservatives.
4
琼斯自己是个奇特的混合体，既保守又激进。

qióng sī zì jǐ shì gè qí tè de hùn hé tǐ， ， jì bǎo shǒu yòu jī。

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,
11
在投资方面，他的风格非常保守，总是选择风险较低的产品。

Zài tóuzī fāngmiàn, tā de fēnggé fēicháng bǎoshǒu, zǒng shì xuǎnzé fēngxiǎn jiào dī de chǎnpǐn.

In terms of investment, his style is very conservative, always choosing lower-risk products.
12
她的穿衣风格一直很保守，通常选择颜色简单的衣服。

Tā de chuānyī fēnggé yīzhí hěn bǎoshǒu, tōngcháng xuǎnzé yánsè jiǎndān de yīfu.

Her dressing style has always been conservative, usually choosing clothes in simple colors.
13
在政治上，他一直持保守立场，支持传统价值观。

Zài zhèngzhì shàng, tā yīzhí chí bǎoshǒu lìchǎng, zhīchí chuántǒng jiàzhíguān.

Politically, he has always maintained a conservative stance, supporting traditional values.
14
公司在财务决策上非常保守，避免高风险投资。

Gōngsī zài cáiwù juécè shàng fēicháng bǎoshǒu, bìmiǎn gāo fēngxiǎn tóuzī.

The company is very conservative in financial decision-making, avoiding high-risk investments.
15
她的教育理念比较保守，重视学生的纪律和传统学习方法。

Tā de jiàoyù lǐniàn bǐjiào bǎoshǒu, zhòngshì xuéshēng de jìlǜ hé chuántǒng xuéxí fāngfǎ.

Her educational philosophy is rather conservative, emphasizing student discipline and traditional learning methods.
16
在艺术创作上，他的风格偏保守，常选择经典题材。

Zài yìshù chuàngzuò shàng, tā de fēnggé piān bǎoshǒu, cháng xuǎnzé jīngdiǎn tícái.

In artistic creation, his style tends to be conservative, often choosing classic themes.

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.