报国 (bào guó) — to serve one's country; to dedicate oneself to the nation

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning to dedicate oneself to serving one's country — common in set phrases like 立志报国 and patriotic writing.

verb
to serve one's countryto dedicate oneself to the nation

Examples

  • 报国。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù lì zhì bào guó.
    He aspired to serve his country from a young age.
  • 。
    Tā bào le yí bèi zi guó.
    He served his country for his whole life.
  • 报国。
    Kē xué jiā yòng kē jì bào guó.
    Scientists serve their country through technology.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

报bàoserve/repay
国guócountry

报 means serve or repay and 国 means country; together they describe serving one's country.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.