保密

• Pinyin: bǎo mì
• Hanzi breakdown: 保 = 亻(person) + 呆 (phonetic), meaning protect; 密 = 宀 (roof) + 必 (must) + 山 (mountain), meaning secret/dense

Meaning

To keep secret; to maintain confidentiality. Ensuring that information is not disclosed.

Used in both casual and formal contexts. Casually, friends might ask someone to 保密 about personal news. Formally, it appears in workplace confidentiality agreements, government documents, and legal contexts. The noun form refers to secrecy or confidentiality itself.

Examples

1. 这件事你一定要保密，不能告诉别人。 You absolutely must keep this secret and not tell anyone.
2. 公司要求所有员工对客户信息保密。 The company requires all employees to keep client information confidential.
3. 他答应帮我保密，绝不会说出去的。 He promised to keep it secret for me and will definitely not let it out.

Usage Guide

Context: work, interpersonal, legal

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 请你帮我保密，好吗？(Please keep this secret for me, OK?)
• 保密工作非常重要。(Confidentiality work is very important.)

Don't Say

• 说'保密这个消息' (Don't say 保密 directly followed by a noun object — say 对这个消息保密 or 把这个消息保密)

Origin & History

A verb-object compound: 保 (protect, maintain) + 密 (secret, tight). Literally means 'to protect the secret.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal