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环保 (huán bǎo) — (noun) environmental protection; (adjective) environmentally friendly

Definition

Short for 环境保护, used as both a noun ('environmental protection') and an adjective meaning 'eco-friendly'. Pairs naturally with 环境 ('the natural environment') but focuses on protecting it rather than describing surroundings.

noun
environmental protection
adjective
environmentally friendly

Examples

  • 环保。
    huán bǎo Shì wǒ men měi gè rén de zé rèn.
    Environmental protection is everyone's responsibility.
  • 环保。
    Zhè zhǒng huán bǎo chǎn pǐn hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This type of environmentally friendly product is very popular.
  • 环保，。
    Wèi le huán bǎo, qǐng bú yào luàn rēng lā jī.
    For the sake of environmental protection, please don't litter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

环huánenvironment
保bǎoprotection

'环' stands for environment and '保' for protection, naming the protection of the environment.

Characters in this word

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng環huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 环 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Environment & Ecology

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