维持
To make something continue in the same way or at the same level as before. It often refers to order, living standards, or physical states.
Examples
3 of 5这种生态平衡很难维持。
This ecological balance is hard to maintain.
公司需要大量的资金来维持日常运营。
The company needs significant capital to maintain daily operations.
尽管收入不高，他依然维持着体面的生活。
Despite the low income, he still maintains a decent life.
Word Family
Memory Tip
维 (to tie/hold) + 持 (to hold/grasp). Think of holding something with both hands to keep it from falling.
Quick Quiz
为了___身体健康，我们需要均衡的饮食。
Correct!
The correct answer is: 维持
Examples
这种生态平衡很难维持。
academicThis ecological balance is hard to maintain.
公司需要大量的资金来维持日常运营。
businessThe company needs significant capital to maintain daily operations.
尽管收入不高，他依然维持着体面的生活。
formalDespite the low income, he still maintains a decent life.
为了维持健康，他每天都去健身房。
everydayTo maintain health, he goes to the gym every day.
这种关系只能维持很短的时间。
informalThis relationship can only last for a very short time.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
维持生命
to sustain life
难以维持
difficult to maintain
勉强维持
barely maintain
Often Confused With
保持 is used for keeping a state or habit (like silence or a record), while 维持 often implies effort to keep something from failing or ending.
Usage Notes
Common in IELTS Task 2 when discussing how to 'maintain' social stability or 'maintain' standards of living.
Common Mistakes
Do not use it for 'keeping' physical objects; use '保留' or '放' instead.
Memory Tip
维 (to tie/hold) + 持 (to hold/grasp). Think of holding something with both hands to keep it from falling.
Word Origin
维 (preservation/tie) + 持 (hold/grasp).
Grammar Patterns
Quick Quiz
为了___身体健康，我们需要均衡的饮食。
Correct!
The correct answer is: 维持
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
More environment words
源头
B1The source or starting point of something, such as a river, a problem, or a piece of information.
严峻
B1Very serious, stern, or severe. It is typically used to describe situations, challenges, or tests that are difficult to handle.
耗费
B1To use up or spend a lot of resources, such as time, money, or energy, often in a way that suggests a significant amount is required.
保护
B1To keep safe from harm or injury. It can apply to people, the environment, cultural heritage, or rights.
侵蚀
B2The process of eroding or being eroded by natural agents; or the gradual destruction/diminution of something like rights or value.
能源
B1Sources of power, such as fuel or electricity, used to provide light and heat or to work machines.
多样性
B1The state of being diverse; variety, especially in species or cultural backgrounds. It refers to the range of different things or people within a particular group or area.
损害
B1To cause physical harm to something so as to impair its value or usefulness; or to cause injury to someone's health or reputation.
交通
B1The system of vehicles and pedestrians moving along roads or through the air; transportation. It frequently appears in discussions about urban planning and pollution.
污染
B1The introduction of harmful materials into the environment, such as air, water, or soil. It is a high-frequency topic in academic tests.
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