Meaning
保护 means to protect or safeguard something or someone from harm, damage, or danger. It implies actively defending or preserving the safety and integrity of someone or something valuable. The word is commonly used in contexts ranging from environmental protection to personal safety.
Usage
This is a standard formal and informal verb used widely in both spoken and written Chinese. It's commonly used with objects like the environment (环境), children (孩子), animals (动物), rights (权利), or privacy (隐私). Often appears in official contexts related to conservation, legal protection, and safety regulations.
Examples
- 01我们应该保护野生动物。.We should protect wild animals.
- 02父母有责任保护自己的孩子。.Parents have the responsibility to protect their own children.
Characters
Common collocations
- 保护环境to protect the environment
- 保护动物to protect animals
- 保护措施protective measures
- 受保护to be protected
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters independently relate to protection. 保 originally depicted a person carrying a child, symbolizing care and preservation. 护 contains the speech radical (讠) and suggests defending through words or actions. Together they form a compound emphasizing comprehensive protection.