verb phrase HSK 4
Traditional 保持安靜
to keep quiet · to remain silent · to maintain silence
Meaning
This phrase combines 保持 (to maintain/keep) with 安静 (quiet/silent) to express the action of staying quiet or maintaining a quiet state. It's commonly used in instructions, rules, or requests for people to be silent or not make noise.
Usage
Frequently seen on signs in libraries, hospitals, exam rooms, and other public spaces where silence is required. Can be used as a command or polite request. Often appears in imperative form (请保持安静 - please keep quiet) or as a general instruction.
Examples
- 01图书馆里请保持安静，不要大声说话。, .Please keep quiet in the library and don't speak loudly.
- 02考试期间，所有学生必须保持安静。, .During the exam, all students must remain silent.
Characters
Common collocations
- 请保持安静please keep quiet
- 保持安静的环境to maintain a quiet environment
- 需要保持安静need to keep quiet
Antonyms
Origin
保持 is a compound verb meaning 'to maintain/keep' (literally 'protect-hold'), while 安静 combines two characters both relating to quietness and peace, creating an emphatic expression for silence.