保乂

bǎo yì

to protect and govern

保 to protect, to safeguard, or to preserve

乂 to govern, to regulate, or to bring order 

意义

[yìyì]

meaning; significance

意 meaning, idea, or intention

义 righteousness, justice, or significance

together, 意义 combines these nuances to express "the deeper meaning or importance" of something

正义

zhèngyì

justice

正 correct, upright, or just

义 righteousness, justice, or significance

together, 正义 emphasizes moral integrity and the pursuit of what is right

义务

yìwù

duty, obligation,

moral responsibility

义 righteousness, justice, or significance

务 affair, task, or to focus on

Together, 义务 implies a responsibility rooted in moral or societal expectations

意义

significance, meaning

意 "idea," "intention," or "meaning"

义 righteousness, justice, or significance

Together, 意义 refers to the abstract concept of what something means or represents — either in a literal sense (e.g. the meaning of a word) or a deeper, more philosophical sense (e.g. the meaning of life)

会议

[huìyì]

meeting; conference

会 "to gather" or "to assemble

议 "to discuss," "to deliberate," or "to debate

Gathering (会) + Discussion (议) → A meeting where people assemble to discuss; this combination perfectly captures the essence of a formal or organized meeting—not just random people coming together (会 alone), but with a purpose of discussion or decision-making (议)

建议

jiànyì

suggestion, proposal

建 "to build", or "to establish"

议 "to discuss," "to deliberate," or "to debate

This pairing captures the essence of a well-considered idea—not just a random thought, but something structured (建) and open for discussion (议).

议论

yìlùn

to comment, to discuss

议 "to discuss," "to deliberate," or "to debate"

论 "to analyze," "to discourse," or "theory

This combination emphasizes: interactive dialogue (not one-sided speech), and critical or evaluative tone (often implying judgment)

协议

agreement, protocol

协 "to cooperate," "to assist," or "harmonize"

议 "to discuss," "to deliberate," or "to debate"

This pairing emphasizes: joint effort (协), all parties actively participate, and formalized discussion (议): Structured negotiation leading to a binding outcome; together: to reach mutual understanding through discussion → agreement.

主要

[zhǔyào]

main, primary, principal

主 "master," "owner," or "host"

要 "important," "essential," or "to need"

This pairing emphasizes: hierarchy: What’s dominant (主) and indispensable (要), focus: The central or leading element in a system or idea; Together, the most essential part → "main/primary."

主张

[zhǔzhāng]

to advocate, to stand for, a proposition, a viewpoint

主 "master," "owner," or "host"

张 "to stretch"

This pairing emphasizes: proactive stance: Not just holding an opinion, but actively promoting it; authority: The idea comes from a leading (主) source (e.g., a person, group, or theory); Together: to take the lead in expressing → "to advocate" or "a proposition."

主意

[zhǔyi]

plan; idea

主 "master," "owner," or "host"

意 "thought," "intention," or "meaning"

This pairing emphasizes: ownership of the idea: the thought is yours (you "host" it); practicality: Often implies an actionable plan or solution (not just abstract thinking); Together: the leading thought → "a decisive idea" or "plan."

住院

[zhù/yuàn]

be in hospital

住 "to live," "to stay," or "to reside"

^{院 "courtyard" but now refers to institutions like hospitals (医院), schools (学院), or courts (法院)}

^this pairing emphasizes: temporary residence: Unlike 居住 (jūzhù, "to reside long-term"), 住院 implies a short-term stay for medical treatment; purpose: The institution (院) is clearly a hospital (医院), even though 医院 is omitted in the word itself; together: to stay in an institution (hospital) → "to be hospitalized."

住宅

zhùzhái

residence, housing

住 "to live," "to stay," or "to reside"

宅 "house," "home," or "residence"

This pairing emphasizes: function: A place designed for living (not temporary or commercial); Permanence: a long-term habitation; together: a place where people live → "residence" or "dwelling."

停住

to stop, to halt

to come to a standstill

停 "to stop," "to pause," or "to cease"

住 "to live," "to stay," or "to reside"

This pairing emphasizes: completion of the action: Not just pausing, but stopping entirely; firmness: The stop is decisive and intentional; Together: to come to a complete stop" or "to halt firmly."

记住

to remember, to memorize

记 "to record," "to note down," or "to remember"

住 "to live," "to stay," or "to reside"

This pairing emphasizes: active effort: Not just passively recalling, but consciously retaining information; permanence: The memory is stabilized (not fleeting); Together: to fix a memory in place → "to remember."

注意

[zhùyì]

pay attention to; to notice

注 "to pour" (注入 "to pour into"), but evolved to "to concentrate," "to focus," or "to annotate"

意 "thought," "intention," or "meaning"

This pairing emphasizes: active effort: Not passive awareness, but deliberate concentration; purposefulness: The mind is channeled (注) toward a specific thought or object (意); Together: 

to direct your mind toward something → "to pay attention."

注释

zhùshì

annotation, to annotate ("pouring" explanations into text)

注 "to pour" (注入 "to pour into"), but evolved to "to concentrate," "to focus," or "to annotate"

释 "to explain," "to interpret"

This pairing emphasizes: Dual Action: 注: Adding notes to a text (physical act), 释: Providing explanations (intellectual act); Academic/Formal Context (used for textual analysis, classical literature, or technical documentation); Together: to add explanatory notes → "annotation"

注射

[zhùshè]

inject; get a shot

注 "to pour" (注入 "to pour into"), but evolved to "to concentrate," "to focus," or "to annotate"

射 "to shoot," "to eject"

Together: Channel liquid (注)  Shoot/project (射) → "to inject"

This pairing vividly captures: Two-Step Medical Process: 注: Preparing/filling the syringe with liquid; 射: Administering it via needle penetration; Precision & Force: implying active propulsion (like a "medical arrow")

注册

[zhùcè]

to register; log-in

注 "to pour" (注入 "to pour into"), but evolved to "to concentrate," "to focus," or "to annotate"

册 "book," "volume," or "register"

Together: to enter into an official record → "to register."

This pairing emphasizes: Formality: Information is recorded in an official system (like a government or corporate database); Permanence: implying binding enrollment (e.g., for licenses, memberships)

关注

guānzhù

to pay attention to,

to follow closely

(mental "flow" toward something)

关 originally meant "frontier pass" or "gate"; extended meanings include "to close" and "to relate to"

注 "to pour" (注入 "to pour into"), but evolved to "to concentrate," "to focus," or "to annotate"

Together: Connect (关) + Concentrate (注) → "to fix attention on" or "to be concerned about"

This pairing emphasizes: Directed Focus: Not just passive awareness, but actively locking onto a subject; Emotional Involvement (care or worry)