保守

• Pinyin: bǎo shǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 保 = 人 (person) + 呆 (remain, phonetic), a person keeping something safe; 守 = 宀 (roof) + 寸 (measure/control), to guard carefully

Meaning

To keep secret; to guard; to maintain (V); conservative; cautious; resistant to change (Adj). Used to describe guarding information or holding traditional, cautious attitudes.

As a verb, 保守 means to keep something confidential or to preserve a state (e.g., 保守秘密 — keep a secret; 保守阵地 — hold a position). As an adjective, it describes someone who resists change or holds traditional values. Common in political, medical, and everyday contexts.

Examples

1. 他一直保守着这个秘密，从来没有告诉过任何人。 He has kept this secret all along and has never told anyone.
2. 她的想法比较保守，不太愿意尝试新的方法。 Her thinking is fairly conservative and she is not very willing to try new methods.
3. 医生给出了一个保守的治疗方案，希望先观察病情变化。 The doctor proposed a conservative treatment plan, hoping to observe how the condition develops first.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, everyday, medicine

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请你帮我保守这个秘密，不要告诉别人。(Please help me keep this secret — don't tell anyone.)
• 他的观念很保守，不喜欢改变现有的做法。(His thinking is very conservative; he dislikes changing the current approach.)

Don't Say

• 用'保守'来形容节省或吝啬 (Don't use 保守 to mean thrifty or stingy — use 节省 or 吝啬 instead)

Origin & History

A compound of 保 (to protect/guard) + 守 (to keep/watch over). Both characters convey the idea of carefully maintaining and preserving something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal