护理 (hù lǐ) — to nurse (a patient or someone who is ill); to take care of (skin, hair, or a part of the body); to tend to

Definition

护理 emphasizes skilled or attentive care — of patients, the body (skin, hair), or the elderly. It is more clinical/professional than 看护 and broader than 照料, which focuses on attending to daily needs.

verb
to nurse (a patient or someone who is ill)to take care of (skin, hair, or a part of the body)to tend to

Examples

  • 护理
    Hù shi měi tiān hù lǐ bìng rén, fēi cháng xīn kǔ.
    The nurse tends to patients every day; it's very hard work.
  • 护理
    Tā xǐ huan yòng miàn mó hù lǐ pí fū.
    She likes to use face masks to take care of her skin.
  • 护理
    Tā huā le hěn duō shí jiān hù lǐ nián mài de zǔ mǔ.
    He spent a lot of time nursing his elderly grandmother.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

protect
tend

'护' and '理' combine protecting and tending, giving the sense of nursing or caring for.

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
Written in full asshǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
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
jade
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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