bou2 sau2保守
Jyutpingbou2 sau2
Yalebóu sáu
Definition
To keep a secret and prevent it from being revealed.
neutralcommunication
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or serious contexts regarding sensitive information, such as professional confidentiality or deep personal secrets. In everyday casual speech, people often prefer using 守住 or 唔好講出去 instead of this term. It carries a sense of duty or responsibility to protect information from being leaked.
Examples
You must keep this secret.
His ability to keep secrets is very poor.
Related words
Common phrases
to keep a secret
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the adjective 保守 meaning conservative, which is common in political or social discussions. When used as a verb, it almost exclusively collocates with 秘密.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
