防卫

• Pinyin: fáng wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 防 = 阝+ 方 (earthen embankment — a barrier); 卫 = pictograph of a person patrolling to guard (defend)

Meaning

To defend; self-defense. Actions taken to protect oneself or others from attack or threat, with important applications in legal and military contexts.

Frequently appears in legal contexts as 正当防卫 (legitimate self-defense) — a key concept in Chinese criminal law. Also used in military and geopolitical discourse. Differs from 防御 in being more immediate and personal, and from 防护 in implying active resistance rather than passive shielding.

Examples

1. 法院在审理这起伤害案时，重点审查了被告的行为是否构成正当防卫，以及其所采取的反击手段是否超出了必要限度。 In trying the assault case, the court focused on whether the defendant’s actions constituted justified self-defense and whether the counterattack exceeded what was necessary.
2. 该国宣布调整国防政策，将战略重心从单纯的领土防卫转向更为主动的综合安全态势，以应对日益复杂的地区局势。 The country announced an adjustment to its national defense policy, shifting its strategic focus from purely territorial defense to a more proactive, comprehensive security posture in response to an increasingly complex regional situation.
3. 武术教练强调，学习搏击技术的根本目的是在危急时刻保护自身安全，因此防卫意识的培养比技术训练更为关键。 The martial arts coach emphasized that the fundamental purpose of learning combat skills is to protect yourself in a crisis, so building defensive awareness is even more important than technical training.

Usage Guide

Context: law, military, security, sports

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 根据刑法相关条款，当事人在面临紧迫的人身威胁时有权采取防卫行动，但防卫行为不得明显超过必要限度造成重大伤害。(According to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Law, a person has the right to take defensive action when facing an imminent threat to their person, but the defensive act must not clearly exceed the necessary limits to cause serious harm.)
• 国防部发言人表示，军队近期在争议海域开展的演习属于正常的防卫性训练，并不针对任何特定国家。(The Ministry of National Defense spokesperson stated that the military exercises recently conducted in the disputed waters are routine defensive training and are not directed at any specific country.)

Don't Say

• 自我防卫 — while understandable, 正当防卫 is the standard legal term; 自我防卫 sounds like a direct translation from English and is not idiomatic in Chinese legal or formal contexts

Origin & History

防 (to guard/prevent) + 卫 (to protect/defend) — to guard and defend against attack

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal