护法 (hù fǎ) — to uphold the law or constitution; (Buddhism) to protect the dharma; (also as noun) a dharma protector (护法神)

Definition

A separable verb with two distinct senses: 'to uphold the law/constitution' (secular, often paired with 维护) and a Buddhist sense 'to protect the dharma,' also used as a noun for a dharma-protector deity. The split is 护…法 (护法神).

verb
to uphold the law or constitution(Buddhism) to protect the dharma(also as noun) a dharma protector (护法神)

Examples

  • 护法，。
    Lǜ shī de zhí zé shì hù fǎ, wéi hù zhèng yì.
    A lawyer's duty is to uphold the law and maintain justice.
  • 护法。
    Zhè zuò sì miào de hù fǎ shén fēi cháng yǒu míng.
    The dharma protector deity of this temple is very famous.
  • ，。
    Tā hù le yí bèi zi fǎ, cóng wèi dòng yáo.
    He upheld the law his whole life and never wavered.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

护hùprotect
法fǎlaw/dharma

护 means protect and 法 means law or dharma; together they mean protecting the law or dharma.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
户
户hù护hù
Same sound today

护 combines 扌 (the hand form 手) with 户, which gives the sound hù.

Open 护 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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