保守主义 (bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì) — conservatism

Definition

A political and cultural ideology that emphasizes tradition, stability, and resistance to rapid change — often paired with 自由主义 as the opposite pole in Western thought.

noun
conservatism

Examples

  • 保守主义。
    Tā zhī chí zhèng zhì shàng de bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì.
    He supports political conservatism.
  • 保守主义。
    bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì Qiáng diào chuán tǒng jià zhí hé zhì xù de wěn dìng.
    Conservatism emphasizes traditional values and the stability of order.
  • ，保守主义。
    Zài xī fāng, bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì hé zì yóu zhǔ yì shì liǎng zhǒng zhǔ yào de zhèng zhì sī cháo.
    In the West, conservatism and liberalism are two major political currents.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

保守conservative
保bǎoprotect守shǒuguard
联合Side by side
主义doctrine
主zhǔprincipal义yìmeaning
联合Side by side

保守 (protect and guard) and 主义 (doctrine) combine to mean a doctrine of preserving traditions.

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 →

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

  • 宀宀miánroof; building
  • 寸寸cùnhand

守 pairs 宀, a roof or building, with 寸, a hand, to show a hand guarding a place.

Open 守 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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