维持
To maintain
Littéralement: Maintain + Hold
Use it when you are working hard to keep a situation or relationship exactly as it is.
En 15 secondes
- Used for keeping a situation or state stable over time.
- Commonly paired with relationships, order, standards, and life.
- Implies active effort to prevent things from getting worse.
Signification
This word is about keeping things exactly as they are. It is used when you want to sustain a relationship, a state of being, or a standard without letting it drop.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking about a long-distance friendship
我们需要经常聊天来维持友谊。
We need to chat often to maintain our friendship.
A teacher managing a loud classroom
老师在努力维持教室的秩序。
The teacher is trying hard to maintain order in the classroom.
Discussing health and diet
他靠运动来维持健康。
He relies on exercise to maintain his health.
Contexte culturel
The concept of 'Wei' (维) originally referred to the thick ropes used to fasten a net. In a cultural sense, it represents the 'bonds' that hold society together. Using this phrase often implies a proactive effort to prevent entropy in relationships and social structures.
The 'Effort' Factor
Always remember that '维持' implies things might fail if you stop. It’s about active preservation, not passive existence.
Not for Machines
If you are taking your car for a tune-up, don't use '维持'. Use '保养' (bǎoyǎng) for physical maintenance of objects.
En 15 secondes
- Used for keeping a situation or state stable over time.
- Commonly paired with relationships, order, standards, and life.
- Implies active effort to prevent things from getting worse.
What It Means
维持 is your go-to word for 'keeping the status quo.' Think of it like balancing a plate on a stick. You are working to make sure things don't fall apart. It covers everything from keeping a friendship alive to making sure a business stays afloat. It is about stability and continuity.
How To Use It
Put 维持 before the thing you want to keep going. You can 维持 order in a classroom or 维持 a long-distance relationship. It often pairs with abstract nouns. You don't usually use it for physical objects like cars. For a car, you'd use a different word for maintenance. Use it when the effort is about the 'state' of something.
When To Use It
Use it in professional settings to talk about 'maintaining' standards or order. Use it in your personal life when talking about the effort needed for relationships. It is perfect for discussing health or a specific lifestyle. If you are at a party and things are getting too wild, the host might need to 维持秩序 (maintain order). It sounds responsible and steady.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use 维持 for 'repairing' things. If your phone is broken, you don't 维持 it. Also, avoid using it for 'supporting' someone financially in a casual way. There are more specific words for that. If you are just 'keeping' a secret, use a different verb. 维持 implies a continuous, active effort to prevent a change or a decline.
Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, 'harmony' and 'stability' are huge values. 维持 reflects the importance of keeping social balance. It is often seen in news reports about 'maintaining social stability.' It carries a sense of duty. Sometimes it can feel a bit heavy. It implies that without effort, things might naturally fade away or become chaotic.
Common Variations
维持现状 is a very common four-character phrase. It means 'to maintain the status quo.' You will hear this in politics and office meetings. 维系 is a close cousin used specifically for emotional bonds. 维护 is another variation used for protecting rights or maintaining equipment. Stick to 维持 for general states and situations.
Notes d'usage
The word is neutral and very versatile. Just remember it focuses on the 'state' of things rather than the 'physical repair' of objects.
The 'Effort' Factor
Always remember that '维持' implies things might fail if you stop. It’s about active preservation, not passive existence.
Not for Machines
If you are taking your car for a tune-up, don't use '维持'. Use '保养' (bǎoyǎng) for physical maintenance of objects.
The 'Face' Connection
In China, '维持面子' (maintaining face) is a subtle but vital social skill. It means keeping up appearances to save dignity.
Exemples
6我们需要经常聊天来维持友谊。
We need to chat often to maintain our friendship.
Shows the effort required to keep a bond strong.
老师在努力维持教室的秩序。
The teacher is trying hard to maintain order in the classroom.
A classic professional use for managing a situation.
他靠运动来维持健康。
He relies on exercise to maintain his health.
Used here for a physical or biological state.
我只是为了维持生活才做这份工作。
I'm only doing this job to sustain my lifestyle.
Commonly used to talk about basic living needs.
我现在的身材全靠这些奶茶维持。
My current figure is entirely maintained by this bubble tea.
Using a formal word for a silly reason creates humor.
维持一段没有爱的婚姻很难。
It's hard to maintain a marriage without love.
Expresses the heavy emotional weight of the word.
Teste-toi
Choose the best word to complete the sentence about social harmony.
警察在街上___秩序。
We use '维持' for maintaining order (秩序).
Which phrase means 'to maintain the status quo'?
我们应该___现状，不要做大的改变。
The set phrase '维持现状' means to keep things as they are currently.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 维持
Talking about daily habits or health.
维持身材 (Maintain figure)
Common conversations about work or friends.
维持友谊 (Maintain friendship)
Official reports or news.
维持和平 (Maintain peace)
When to use 维持
Social Order
维持秩序
Relationships
维持关系
Basic Living
维持生活
Physical State
维持体重
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsNo, for mechanical maintenance, use 保养. 维持 is for states, situations, or abstract concepts.
It is neutral. You can use it with your best friend or in a business report without it sounding weird.
坚持 means to persist or persevere (like finishing a marathon), while 维持 means to keep a state stable.
Usually, we use 保守秘密 for secrets. 维持 doesn't quite fit the context of hiding information.
The phrase is 维持现状. It is very common in news and business discussions.
Yes, 维持关系 is a very common way to talk about keeping a relationship going.
It means 'to make ends meet' or to sustain a basic level of living/survival.
Yes, you can 维持健康 (maintain health) or 维持生命 (sustain life) in medical contexts.
Not inherently, but it can imply that a situation is difficult to keep up, like 维持现状很辛苦 (it's hard to keep things as they are).
Yes, you can say 维持原价 to mean 'maintaining the original price' in a store.
The opposite would be 改变 (change) or 破坏 (destroy/break the state).
Yes, it is typically found in HSK 4 or B1 level materials as a core vocabulary word.
Expressions liées
保持
To keep/maintain (often used for a specific speed or distance).
维护
To protect or safeguard (rights, interests, or equipment).
维系
To hold together (usually emotional or social bonds).
坚持
To persist or persevere in an action.
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