卫 (wèi) - to guard & to protect

卫Tone 4

wèi ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 卩

万响

卫 · wèi

to guard;

to protect;

to defend;

also refers to hygiene, health, and as a surname.

to guardto protectto defend

Usage highlights

HygieneGuardDefendSatelliteDefenseGuard team

Synonyms

  • 护— to protect
  • 守— to guard
  • 保— to defend

Antonyms

  • 攻— to attack
  • 犯— to invade

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He serves in the national guard (卫队).
  • Personal hygiene is important (卫生).
  • The satellite is in orbit (卫星).
  • This is a defensive action (防卫).

Collocations

  • Hygiene(卫生)
  • Guard(卫兵)
  • Defend(保卫)
  • Satellite(卫星)
  • Defense(防卫)
  • Guard team(卫队)

Idioms

  • Protect the homeland and defend the country(保家卫国)
  • Act in self-defense(自卫还击)
  • Guardian deity(守护神卫)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a person walking around a city, symbolizing patrol and defense.
  • The concept of 'Weisheng' (卫生) combines guarding with life, meaning hygiene or health protection.
  • A common surname in China, with historical figures like Wei Qing from the Han dynasty.

FAQ