Meaning
to defend; to protect; to insure or guarantee; to maintain; hold or keep; to guard
Chinese: 保护、保持、担保。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “bao” becomes a different word in each tone. 保 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 保护bǎo hùto protect; to defend; to safeguard; protection
- 保证bǎo zhèngguarantee; to guarantee; to ensure; to safeguard
- 保持bǎo chíto keep; to maintain; to hold; to preserve
- 保险bǎo xiǎninsurance; to insure; safe; secure
- 确保què bǎoto ensure; to guarantee
Example Sentence
多喝水可以保护嗓子。Duō hē shuǐ kě yǐ bǎo hù sǎng zi.Drinking more water can protect your throat.
多Duōmany喝hēto drink水shuǐShui ethnic group可以kě yǐcan保护bǎo hùto protect嗓子sǎng zithroat。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The person radical 亻 plus 呆 (originally a baby): a person carrying a child on the back, keeping it safe — ‘to protect, defend, keep; to guarantee, ensure; to maintain’ (保护, 保证, 保持).
A way to remember it
A person (亻) keeping a child safe — to protect, guarantee.