保卫

• Pinyin: bǎo wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 保 = 亻(person) + 呆 (stay); 卫 = simplified from 衛, meaning guard

Meaning

Defend; safeguard; protect. To guard something or someone against attack or harm.

More formal and often used for defending abstract concepts like country (保卫祖国), peace (保卫和平), or rights. 保卫科 refers to a security department. Stronger connotation than 保护, implying active defense.

Examples

1. 军人们日夜不停地保卫着祖国的边疆。 Soldiers defend the nation's borders day and night without stopping.
2. 我们有责任保卫来之不易的和平生活。 We have the responsibility to safeguard our hard-won peaceful life.
3. 公司的保卫人员负责大楼的安全检查工作。 The company's security personnel are responsible for the building's safety inspections.

Usage Guide

Context: military, politics, security

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 保卫国家是每个公民的责任。(Defending the country is every citizen's duty.)
• 他在保卫科工作。(He works in the security department.)

Don't Say

• 对日常物品用'保卫'——应该用'保护'，比如'保护环境'而不是'保卫环境' (Don't use 保卫 for everyday items — use 保护 for things like the environment)

Origin & History

Compound of 保 (protect) + 卫 (guard), both characters relating to defense and protection.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal