zi6 bou2自保

Jyutpingzi6 bou2

Yalejih bóu

動詞Uncommon

Definition

To protect oneself; to secure one's own interests or safety.

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

Carries a slightly selfish or defensive connotation, often implying that someone is prioritizing their own safety or benefit at the expense of others or the group. It is frequently used in professional or social contexts to describe someone who avoids taking risks or responsibility to keep their position secure.

Examples

ni1呢go3個se5社wui2會gam3咁lyun6亂，daai6大gaa1家dou1都hai6係soeng2想zi6自bou2保ze1啫。

Society is so chaotic, everyone just wants to look out for themselves.

nei5你zing6淨hai6係sik1識dak1得zi6自bou2保，jau5有mou5冇nam2諗gwo3過jan4人dei2哋gam2感sau6受？

You only know how to protect your own interests, have you thought about how others feel?

Common phrases

ming4明zit3哲bou2保san1身

to play it safe and avoid trouble

kau4求zi6自bou2保

to seek self-preservation

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 保持, which means to maintain or keep something in a certain state. While they share the character 保, 自保 is strictly about self-preservation, whereas 保持 is about maintaining a condition or object.