保值 (bǎo zhí) — value preservation (of an asset, investment, etc.); inflation-adjusted return on investment

Definition

保值 is a finance term for keeping an asset's value stable, especially against inflation — used in investing contexts like 保值率 ('value retention rate'). It focuses on not losing value, not on earning interest or profit.

noun
value preservation (of an asset, investment, etc.)inflation-adjusted return on investment

Examples

  • 保值。
    Huáng jīn yì zhí bèi rèn wéi shì yì zhǒng bǎo zhí de tóu zī.
    Gold has always been considered a value-preserving investment.
  • ，保值。
    Zài tōng huò péng zhàng shí qī, rén men gèng guān xīn bǎo zhí wèn tí.
    During periods of inflation, people are more concerned about value preservation issues.
  • 保值。
    Zhè kuǎn shǒu biǎo de bǎo zhí lǜ hěn gāo.
    This watch has a high value retention rate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

保bǎomaintain
值zhívalue

“保” means to keep or protect, and “值” is the value being kept.

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí值zhí
Same sound today

值 is made from 亻 (written in full as 人, a person) and 直, with 直 giving the sound.

Open 值 →

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