保藏 (bǎo cáng) — to preserve, to keep in storage (especially food, cultural relics, or valuable items)

Definition

保藏 (bǎocáng) emphasizes keeping something in good condition for a long time — food, relics, or valuables. It focuses on the care taken during storage, not just putting something away.

verb
to preserveto keep in storage (especially food, cultural relics, or valuable items)

Examples

  • 保藏。
    Zhè xiē wén wù yīng gāi tuǒ shàn bǎo cáng qǐ lái.
    These cultural relics should be properly preserved.
  • 保藏。
    Dōng tiān bǎ shū cài bǎo cáng zài dì jiào lǐ kě yǐ chī hěn jiǔ.
    Storing vegetables in a cellar during winter keeps them edible for a long time.
  • 保藏。
    Tā yòng tè shū fāng fǎ bǎo cáng zhè xiē shuǐ guǒ.
    He preserves these fruits using a special method.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

保bǎoprotect
藏cángstore

保 (protect) and 藏 (store) combine to mean keep safely stored.

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

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