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Kanji Detail for 保 - "protect, guarantee"

保

  • Meaning

    保 means "protect, guarantee." Also associated with maintain.

    1. Protect - To keep safe; to guard.

    2. Maintain - To keep in condition; to preserve.

    3. Guarantee - To assure; to promise.

    4. Nurture - To care for; to raise.

  • Words using 保

    • 安保 あんぽ Listen security (e.g. national security); US-Japan Security Treaty; campaign against the Japan-US Security Treaty (1959-60, 1970)
    • 保護 ほご Listen protection; safeguard; guardianship
    • 保守 ほしゅ Listen maintenance; conservatism; conservativeness
    • 保険 ほけん Listen insurance; guarantee; warranty
    • 確保 かくほ Listen securing; obtaining; ensuring
    • 安全保障 あんぜんほしょう Listen (guarantee of) security
    • 保全 ほぜん Listen preservation; conservation; maintenance
    • 保証 ほしょう Listen guarantee; security; assurance

  • Four-character idioms with 保

    • 保革伯仲 ほかくはくちゅう Listen conservatives and reformists being neck and neck; balanced conservative and progressive strengths
    • 明哲保身 めいてつほしん Listen wisdom and self-protection; wise and skilled in the art of self-protection

  • Tattoo check: 保

    • Verified meaning: protect, guarantee
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read たもち, たもつ, はるこ, まさし)
    • Also carries these associations: maintain

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 保

    Given names 保(たもつ)Listen 保(まさし)Listen 保(まもる)Listen 保(やす)Listen 保(やすし)Listen

    Surnames 保(たもち)Listen 保(はるこ)Listen 保(まもり)Listen 保(やすじ)Listen

  • Compare with other kanji that mean the same thing:

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    protect; guarantee; keep; preserve; sustain; support

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    protect, safeguard, defend, care

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    Bulgaria (abbr. for 保加利亞|保加利亚[Bao3 jia1 li4 ya4])

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    to safeguard, to protect, to defend, to care for

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    To take responsibility. Meaning to bear responsibility. Such as 保證 (guarantee), 保險 (insurance). A mediator between two parties is called 中保. Same meaning, referring to one who guarantees a matter. | To guard. Such as 保護 (protect), 保衛 (defend). Ancient official titles include 太保, 少保, referring to those tasked with assisting and protecting. | Hired workers are called 保. Such as those employed at taverns are called 酒保. | 保舉: To recommend talented people. The same meaning as guarantee, meaning to guarantee the person recommended. Also simply called 保. Such as 明保, 密保, 保案, 保獎.

  • Onyomi

    tip

    ho(ホ) ホ

    hoh(ホウ) ホウ

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    tamotsu(たも-つ) たも-つ

  • Strokes

    tip

    9 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    人 亻 (hito・nimben・hitogashira・hitoyane)

  • Related Keywords

    protect maintain guarantee ensure guardian nurture shelter undertake preserve assure conserve defend guard keep retain secure shield support sustain uphold caretaker

Sentences including 保

  • I keep old books with care.

  • Insure it , please.

  • The police keep order.

  • I can ensure a job for you.

  • Would you promise to keep in touch with me?

  • They have preserved the building.

  • She really keeps her youthfulness.

  • I can't ensure that he will pass the examination.

  • I can assure you of your success.

  • What's the name of your insurance company?

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 人 亻 (hito・nimben・hitogashira・hitoyane)

See all kanji with this radical →

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