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What is the Kanji for "Preserve"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Preserve", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Preserve" is "保".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Tamo".

Its onyomi reading is "Ho".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The radical "亻" means "Person" . And The component "呆" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "保" mean in japanese?

"保" means "Preserve" .

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N1 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

保険: "Insurance". The Japanese noun '保険 (ほけん)' means 'insurance'. It refers to a form of risk management used to protect against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. It involves a contract between an individual or entity and an insurance company, where the company provides financial compensation or coverage for a specified loss, damage, or event in exchange for a premium payment. '保険' is used in various contexts, such as life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, and home insurance. For example: I have life insurance - (私は生命保険に加入しています). She bought car insurance - (彼女は自動車保険に加入した).
保育: "Childcare". The Japanese noun '保育 (ほいく)' means 'childcare'. It refers to the care and supervision of children, especially at daycare centers, preschools, or nurseries. This term encompasses activities such as feeding, bathing, playing with, and educating young children. For example: She works in childcare - (彼女は保育の仕事をしている). The daycare center provides excellent childcare - (その保育園は素晴らしい保育サービスを提供している).
保つ: "Keep". The Japanese verb '保つ (たもつ)' means 'to keep'. It is used to express the action of maintaining, preserving, or retaining something in a certain state or condition. This verb can be used in various contexts, such as keeping a promise, preserving one's health, or maintaining a good relationship. For example: I will keep my promise - (私は約束を守る), She keeps her room clean - (彼女は部屋を清潔に保っている).
確保: "Secure". The verbal noun '確保 (かくほ)' means 'to secure'. It refers to the act of ensuring the safety, possession, or availability of something. This can include securing a resource, position, or situation. For example: We need to secure the building - (建物を確保する必要がある). The company secured a new contract - (その会社は新しい契約を確保した).
担保: "Collateral" or "Security". The noun '担保 (たんぽ)' refers to collateral or security that is put up to guarantee the repayment of a loan or the fulfillment of an obligation. It is something of value, such as property or assets, that a borrower provides to a lender as a way to secure a loan. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender has the right to seize the collateral to recoup their losses. This word is commonly used in financial and legal contexts. For example: The bank required collateral to approve the loan - (銀行は融資の承認に担保を要求した). The house served as collateral for the mortgage - (その家は抵当として担保に供された).
保有: "Possession". The noun '保有 (ほゆう)' means 'possession'. It refers to the act of owning or having something, especially assets, property, or rights. This word is often used in financial and legal contexts to describe the state of having ownership or control over something. For example: The company has possession of the building - (その会社ビルを保有している). She has possession of the valuable painting - (彼女は価値のある絵画を保有している).
保健: "Health". The Japanese noun '保健 (ほけん)' means 'health'. This word refers to the state of being healthy, as well as the practices and measures taken to maintain or improve one's health. It can be used in contexts such as public health, healthcare, and wellness. For example: Health promotion - (保健の推進), Health services - (保健サービス)
保全: "Preservation". The Japanese noun '保全 (ほぜん)' means 'preservation'. It refers to the act of preserving or safeguarding something, such as the environment, cultural heritage, or an important system. For example: Environmental preservation - (環境の保全). The preservation of traditions - (伝統の保全).
保持: "Holding". The noun '保持 (ほじ)' means 'holding'. It refers to the act of grasping, retaining, or maintaining possession of something. This can include holding an object, maintaining a position or title, or preserving a particular state or condition. For example: The company aims to hold a dominant market share - (この企業は市場を支配し続けることを目指している). The athlete will hold the trophy high - (その選手はトロフィーを高く掲げるだろう).
保管: "Storage" or "Custody". The Japanese noun '保管 (ほかん)' refers to the act of storing or safekeeping something. It can mean 'storage', as in the act of placing an item in a location for safekeeping. It can also mean 'custody', as in the act of having legal or authorized control over something. For example: The goods are in storage - (商品は保管されている). The police have custody of the suspect - (警察が容疑者の保管下にある).
保証: "Guarantee". The Japanese verbal noun '保証 (ほしょう)' means 'guarantee'. This noun refers to a formal assurance, promise or pledge that something will be done or that a certain outcome will occur. It often indicates a commitment to stand behind a product or service. For example: The company provides a 1-year guarantee on their products - (会社はその製品に1年の保証をしている). I want a guarantee that the item will be delivered on time - (商品が期限通りに届くことを保証してほしい).
保証人: "Guarantor". The Japanese noun '保証人 (ほしょうにん)' refers to a person who provides a guarantee or serves as a cosigner for a loan, contract, or agreement. A guarantor is legally responsible for fulfilling the obligations of another person if they are unable to do so. For example: The bank required a guarantor for the loan - (銀行は借金のために保証人を要求した). Without a guarantor, the loan application was denied - (保証人がいないため、その借金の申請は拒否された).
保存: "Preservation". The verbal noun '保存 (ほぞん)' means 'preservation'. It refers to the act of keeping something safe or intact, often through protective measures. This term can be used in various contexts, such as preserving food, historical artifacts, or digital files. For example: Proper preservation of this painting is crucial - (この絵画の保存は非常に重要です). The new storage system ensures effective preservation - (新しい保管システムは効果的な保存を確保します).
保育園: "Preschool". The Japanese noun '保育園 (ほいくえん)' refers to a preschool or daycare facility that provides care and education for young children, typically from infancy to around age 5. These institutions offer a variety of activities, play-based learning, and supervision for children whose parents are working or unable to provide full-time care. For example: My daughter goes to preschool - (私の娘は保育園に行っています). The preschool is very nice - (保育園がとてもきれいです).
保障: "Guarantee". The verbal noun '保障 (ほしょう)' means 'guarantee'. This term refers to a legally binding promise or assurance that something will be provided or will happen. It often implies a contractual obligation or safeguard. For example: The bank provided a guarantee for the loan - (銀行はローンの保障を提供した). The government offered a job guarantee to the workers - (政府はその労働者に雇用保証を与えた).
保守: "Maintenance". The Japanese verbal noun '保守 (ほしゅ)' means 'maintenance'. It refers to the act of maintaining, repairing, or preserving something in good condition. This word is commonly used in technical or industrial contexts, such as the maintenance of machinery, equipment, or infrastructure. For example: Regular maintenance is important - (定期的な保守は重要です). We need to perform maintenance on the computer system - (コンピューターシステムの保守が必要です).
安保: "Security". The Japanese noun '安保 (あんぽ)' refers to national security, public safety, and defense. It is often used in discussions about Japan's military, defense policies, and international relations. For example: Japan's national security policies - (日本の安保政策) and Concerns about regional security - (地域の安保に対する懸念)
保護: "Protection". The verbal noun '保護 (ほご)' means 'protection'. It refers to the act of safeguarding, defending, or caring for someone or something. For example: The animal shelter provides protection for abandoned pets - (動物保護施設は遺棄された動物を保護している). Environmental protection is important - (環境保護は重要だ).
保護者: "Guardian". The Japanese noun '保護者 (ほごしゃ)' means 'guardian'. This word refers to a person who has the legal responsibility for the care and management of another person, typically a child or incapacitated adult. Guardians are responsible for making decisions on behalf of those under their care. For example: The guardians of the orphaned child looked after their welfare - (孤児の保護者は子供たちの世話をしていた). The school principal met with the guardians of the students - (校長先生は生徒たちの保護者と会った).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "ほ" is read as "ho". The hiragana "た" is read as "ta". And The hiragana "も" is read as "mo".