防卫 (fáng wèi) — (verb) to defend, to protect against attack | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal verb for 'to defend / defend against attack,' used for people, territory, or rights. Narrower than 防 ('guard against') — 防卫 implies actively responding to a real threat, not just preventing one.

verb

to defendto protect against attack

Examples

防卫。
Tā men yǒng gǎn dì fáng wèi le zhè zuò chéng shì.
They bravely defended this city.
防卫。
Zhè tiáo fǎ lǜ zhuān mén yòng lái fáng wèi xiāo fèi zhě de quán yì.
This law is specifically used to defend consumers' rights.
防卫。
Měi gè guó jiā dōu yǒu quán fáng wèi zì jǐ de biān jìng.
Every country has the right to defend its borders.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

防 and 卫 both mean guard against attack, so together they defend.

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.

阝方防

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng防fáng

Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

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

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Military & Defense Safety & Danger

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