葆 (bǎo) · to keep; to maintain; to preserve

Meanings

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

Characters

葆

bǎo

to keep; lush growth

Examples

HSK 5

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.

HSK 6

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.

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'.