保守
bǎo shǒu HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他的观点比较保守。
Tā de guāndiǎn bǐjiào bǎoshǒu.
His views are relatively conservative.
保守秘密是她的责任。
Bǎoshǒu mìmì shì tā de zérèn.
Keeping secrets is her responsibility.
公司采取了保守的策略。
Gōngsī cǎiqǔle bǎoshǒu de cèlüè.
The company adopted a cautious strategy.
他的想法很保守。
Tā de xiǎngfǎ hěn bǎoshǒu.
His ideas are very conservative.
她穿着保守。
Tā chuānzhuó bǎoshǒu.
She dresses conservatively.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 保 (bǎo) means 'to protect' and 守 (shǒu) means 'to guard.' Together, they imply 'guarding and protecting' old ways, helping remember the meaning 'conservative.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written Chinese. It commonly appears in discussions about social attitudes, politics, culture, or personal traits, such as describing conservative thinking, policies, or lifestyles.

📖 Grammar Points

保守 can function as an adjective (e.g., 保守的人) or a verb in some contexts (e.g., 保守秘密, 'to keep a secret'). As an adjective, it often modifies nouns like 思想, 观点, or 态度.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 保守 may be used to critique social attitudes, especially regarding gender roles, family values, or political views. It reflects tensions between traditional values and modernization, and can carry a subtle negative judgment when implying inflexibility.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 传统 (chuántǒng, 'traditional'), which neutrally describes customs or heritage, 保守 has a more negative connotation of being overly cautious or resistant to progress. It differs from 落后 (luòhòu, 'backward'), which implies being underdeveloped or lagging behind.

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