fángshǒu: 防守 - To Defend, Guard, Defense

• Keywords: fángshǒu, 防守, defend in Chinese, defense in Chinese, how to say defense, guard, protect, Chinese for defense, sports defense, military defense in Chinese, fángshǒu meaning, Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 防守 (fángshǒu), which means “to defend” or “defense.” This page breaks down its meaning in various contexts, from sports like basketball and soccer to military strategy and even metaphorical uses like defending a viewpoint in a debate. Discover the cultural significance of defense in Chinese thought and understand how to use 防守 (fángshǒu) correctly to sound like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fángshǒu
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: 5
• Concise Definition: To defend or guard against an attack; the act or strategy of defense.
• In a Nutshell: 防守 (fángshǒu) is all about actively resisting an opponent or threat. Think of a goalkeeper blocking a shot, a castle withstanding a siege, or a debater refuting an argument. It carries a sense of active opposition and protection against a clear, external force. It can be used as a verb (“they defend well”) or a noun (“their defense is strong”).

• 防 (fáng): This character means “to guard against” or “to prevent.” Its left side, the radical 阝(fù), is a pictograph of a mound or hill, often used in characters related to barriers or places. So, 防 inherently suggests creating a barrier to stop something.
• 守 (shǒu): This character means “to guard,” “to keep,” or “to protect.” The top part 宀 (mián) represents a roof or building, and the bottom part 寸 (cùn) originally depicted a hand. Together, it paints a picture of using one's hands to guard a home or a post.
• When combined, 防守 (fángshǒu) creates a powerful and comprehensive meaning. 防 is about preventing the attack from getting through, while 守 is about actively guarding the position. Together they mean “to defend” in a complete and active sense.

In many Western cultures, the phrase “the best defense is a good offense” is a common strategic principle. While China certainly values offense, traditional Chinese philosophy, from military strategy to business, often places a profound emphasis on a strong and stable defense as the foundation for any success. Sun Tzu's “The Art of War” (《孙子兵法》) states, “Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.” This highlights a core value: first, make yourself unassailable (防守), and only then look for the opportunity to strike. This mindset can be seen in the strategic board game Go (围棋, wéiqí), where securing your territory (a form of 防守) is just as important as attacking your opponent's. This contrasts with a more aggressive, “move fast and break things” approach. The Chinese concept of 防守 is not passive waiting; it's a proactive, intelligent strategy of building strength, understanding the environment, and ensuring stability before expanding. It's about endurance, patience, and resilience.

防守 (fángshǒu) is a common and versatile word used in many modern situations.

• Sports: This is perhaps the most common context. You'll hear it constantly during basketball (篮球), soccer (足球), and other team sports. It's used to refer to the act of defending and the defensive players or strategy.
• Military and Games: It is the standard term for military defense and is used extensively in video games (电子游戏) and board games (桌游) to describe defensive actions, stats, or strategies.
• Metaphorical Use: The word can be used metaphorically in business, debates, or even personal conversations.
  • Business: A company might 防守 its market share (防守市场份额) against a new competitor.
  • Debate: A person can 防守 their argument or viewpoint (防守自己的观点).
  • Personal Interaction: If someone is being “defensive” in a conversation (i.e., overly sensitive to criticism and quick to justify themselves), you can describe them as being “in a state of defense,” though other terms like `防卫心强 (fángwèi xīn qiáng)` are also common for this.

• Example 1:
  • 我们队的防守非常强大。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen duì de fángshǒu fēicháng qiángdà.
  • English: Our team's defense is very strong.
  • Analysis: Here, 防守 is used as a noun to mean “defense” in a sports context.
• Example 2:
  • 教练要求我们在下半场加强防守。
  • Pinyin: Jiàoliàn yāoqiú wǒmen zài xiàbànchǎng jiāqiáng fángshǒu.
  • English: The coach demanded that we strengthen our defense in the second half.
  • Analysis: Again, used as a noun. `加强 (jiāqiáng)` means “to strengthen,” a common verb that collocates with 防守.
• Example 3:
  • 这位篮球运动员不仅进攻厉害，防守也很出色。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi lánqiú yùndòngyuán bùjǐn jìngōng lìhài, fángshǒu yě hěn chūsè.
  • English: This basketball player is not only great at offense, but his defense is also outstanding.
  • Analysis: This example contrasts 防守 (defense) with its direct antonym, `进攻 (jìngōng)` (offense).
• Example 4:
  • 在辩论中，他成功地防守住了自己的观点。
  • Pinyin: Zài biànlùn zhōng, tā chénggōng de fángshǒu zhùle zìjǐ de guāndiǎn.
  • English: In the debate, he successfully defended his own viewpoint.
  • Analysis: A metaphorical use. The verb suffix `住了 (-zhùle)` indicates a successful, stable result of the action of defending.
• Example 5:
  • 士兵们被命令不惜一切代价防守这座桥。
  • Pinyin: Shìbīngmen bèi mìnglìng bùxī yīqiè dàijià fángshǒu zhè zuò qiáo.
  • English: The soldiers were ordered to defend this bridge at all costs.
  • Analysis: A classic military context. 防守 is used as a verb here.
• Example 6:
  • 面对竞争对手的低价策略，我们公司必须采取防守姿态。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì jìngzhēng duìshǒu de dījià cèlüè, wǒmen gōngsī bìxū cǎiqǔ fángshǒu zītài.
  • English: Facing our competitor's low-price strategy, our company must adopt a defensive posture.
  • Analysis: A business context. `防守姿态 (fángshǒu zītài)` means “defensive posture/stance.”
• Example 7:
  • 这个游戏角色的防守属性很高，但攻击力比较弱。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yóuxì juésè de fángshǒu shǔxìng hěn gāo, dàn gōngjīlì bǐjiào ruò.
  • English: This game character's defense attribute is high, but his attack power is relatively weak.
  • Analysis: Used in the context of video games, where 防守 can be a quantifiable statistic.
• Example 8:
  • 你为什么总是这么防守？我只是想帮你。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme zǒngshì zhème fángshǒu? Wǒ zhǐshì xiǎng bāng nǐ.
  • English: Why are you always so defensive? I just want to help you.
  • Analysis: Here, 防守 is used adjectivally to describe a person's guarded and resistant emotional state.
• Example 9:
  • 我们的门将做出了几次精彩的防守。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de ménjiàng zuò chūle jǐ cì jīngcǎi de fángshǒu.
  • English: Our goalkeeper made several brilliant saves.
  • Analysis: In soccer/hockey, a “save” is a form of 防守. Here it is used as a noun meaning “(act of) defense”.
• Example 10:
  • 学习如何防守是成为一名优秀后卫的第一步。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxí rúhé fángshǒu shì chéngwéi yī míng yōuxiù hòuwèi de dì yī bù.
  • English: Learning how to defend is the first step to becoming an excellent defender (in sports).
  • Analysis: A simple, educational sentence showing 防守 used as a verb in the phrase “how to defend.”

A major point of confusion for learners is the difference between 防守 (fángshǒu) and 保护 (bǎohù).

• 防守 (fángshǒu): Defending against an opponent or active threat. It implies a contest or struggle. You 防守 a goal, a fortress, or a market position. It's about repelling an attack.
• 保护 (bǎohù): General “protection,” often from harm, danger, or decay. It's about shielding and nurturing. You 保护 a child, the environment, your skin, or your legal rights.

Common Mistake: Using 防守 for general protection.

• Incorrect: 我们要防守环境。(Wǒmen yào fángshǒu huánjìng.)
• Correct: 我们要保护环境。(Wǒmen yào bǎohù huánjìng.) → We must protect the environment.
• Why it's wrong: The environment isn't an “opponent” in a game; it's something that needs to be shielded from harm. Therefore, 保护 (bǎohù) is the correct choice.

• 进攻 (jìngōng) - The direct antonym of 防守. It means “to attack” or “offense.”
• 攻击 (gōngjī) - A synonym for 进攻, meaning “to attack” or “assault.” It can sometimes feel more aggressive than 进攻.
• 防卫 (fángwèi) - “To defend,” “self-defense.” Very similar to 防守, but often used in the context of personal or national self-defense (e.g., 正当防卫 - légitimate self-defense).
• 防御 (fángyù) - “Defense,” “to defend.” Often used in more technical, military, or biological contexts, such as a “defense system” (防御系统) or the body's “immune defense” (免疫防御).
• 保护 (bǎohù) - “To protect.” A broader, less confrontational term. Essential to distinguish from 防守.
• 保守 (bǎoshǒu) - “Conservative.” This word shares the character 守 (shǒu), meaning to “keep” or “guard.” It shows the conceptual link between guarding a position (防守) and guarding traditions or old ways (保守).
• 看守 (kānshǒu) - “To guard” or “watch over.” This implies watching and ensuring nothing happens, like a security guard watching a building or a prison guard watching inmates. It's less about active combat than 防守.