葆 (bǎo): to keep; to maintain; to preser…

Meanings

1 to keep; to maintain; to preserve
2 luxuriant foliage; thick growth

Characters

葆

bǎo

to keep; lush growth

Examples

这些年她永葆青春活力。

Zhèxiēnián tā yǒng bǎo qīngchūn huólì.

She has kept her youthful energy all these years.

愿两国人民的友谊永葆常青。

Yuàn liǎngguó rénmín de yǒuyì yǒng bǎo cháng qīng.

May the friendship between our two peoples stay forever fresh.

Tips

usage

Most common in the formal phrase 永葆 ('to keep forever') — keep youthful, keep vigorous, keep an ideal alive. The literal old sense is lush, thick foliage; 'preserve' grew out of that 'stay flourishing' image. Largely interchangeable in sound and 'keep' meaning with 保, but more elevated.

Components

radical

艹 cǎo

grass; plant

The grass radical on top, compressed form of 草. It points to the root image of dense, flourishing plant growth — from which the figurative 'keep flourishing, preserve' developed.

phonetic

保 bǎo

to protect; to keep

Supplies the sound and a strong meaning echo: standalone 保 already means 'to protect, keep', so it doubles as a hint that this character also means 'to preserve'.