(bǎo) — (bound form) fort, fortress, stronghold; walled village (in place names)

Definition

Bound form meaning 'fort, fortress' — almost always part of a place name or compound like 城堡 (castle), 堡垒 (stronghold), 碉堡 (pillbox). It does not stand alone as an independent word.

bound form
fortfortressstrongholdwalled village (in place names)

Examples

  • Zhè zuò chéng bǎo fēi cháng gǔ lǎo.
    This castle is very old.
  • Jūn duì jiān shǒu zhe zhè zuò bǎo lěi.
    The army firmly defends this stronghold.
  • Dí rén duǒ jìn le diāo bǎo lǐ.
    The enemy hid inside the pillbox.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
bǎo
Same sound today

堡 pairs 土 (earth) with 保 (bǎo): 保 gives the sound, and 土 is the meaning part.

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