保家卫国 (bǎo jiā wèi guó) — to protect one's home and defend one's country; to safeguard one's homeland

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning to protect one's home and defend one's country, used for patriotic duty, especially by soldiers or citizens. Carries a solemn, formal tone often seen in writing, speeches, or official language.

idiom
to protect one's home and defend one's countryto safeguard one's homeland

Examples

  • ，保家卫国，。
    Zài zhàn zhēng nián dài, xǔ duō shì bīng wèi guó jiā bǎo jiā wèi guó, xī shēng le zì jǐ de shēng mìng.
    During wartime, many soldiers sacrificed their lives to protect their homes and defend the country.
  • 保家卫国，。
    Měi gè gōng mín dōu yǒu zé rèn bǎo jiā wèi guó, wéi hù guó jiā de ān quán.
    Every citizen has the responsibility to protect their home and defend the country, and to safeguard national security.
  • 保家卫国。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le yí gè bǎo jiā wèi guó de gǎn rén gù shi.
    This movie tells a touching story of protecting one's home and defending the country.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

保家protect home
保bǎoprotect家jiāhome
动宾Verb + object
卫国defend country
卫wèidefend国guócountry
动宾Verb + object

“保家” and “卫国” are two parallel actions, protecting the home and defending the country.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

保 originally showed a person 人 carrying a child 子 on their back, which led to the sense of protecting.

Open 保 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 衛; 卫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi衛wèi
Same sound today

The traditional form 衛 is built from 行 as the sense part and 韋 as the sound part; the simplified 卫 is a shorthand.

Open 卫 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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