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| 防卫 [2025/08/13 18:56] – created xiaoer | 防卫 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== fángwèi: 防卫 - Defense, to Defend ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** fangwei, 防卫, defense in Chinese, self-defense in Chinese, defend Chinese, fángwèi meaning, 正当防卫, Chinese self-defense law, military defense, protect in Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the crucial Chinese word **防卫 (fángwèi)**, which translates to "defense" or "to defend." This comprehensive guide covers its use in legal contexts like justifiable self-defense (正当防卫), military strategy, and personal safety. Understand its core meaning, cultural significance, and how it differs from similar words like `保护 (bǎohù)`, making it an essential term for anyone interested in Chinese law, society, or modern discourse. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fángwèi | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** To defend against an attack; defense. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **防卫 (fángwèi)** is a formal and serious term for actively resisting a threat. It's not about general, passive protection, but about a direct response to an assault—be it physical, military, or legal. Think of it as putting up a shield or fighting back when an attack is already happening. It carries a strong sense of reaction and justification. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **防 (fáng):** This character means "to guard against," "to prevent," or "to protect." The left side (阝) is a variant of 阜 (fù), which originally meant a mound or embankment, suggesting a barrier. The right side, 方 (fāng), provides the sound. So, **防** is like building a dam to prevent a flood—it's about stopping something hostile from getting through. | |
| * **卫 (wèi):** This character means "to guard" or "to protect." Its ancient form depicted a person walking around the perimeter of a city or an enclosure, signifying a patrol or guard. It's the character you see in words like "bodyguard" (保卫) and "satellite" (卫星, literally "guarding star"). | |
| When combined, **防卫 (fángwèi)** creates a powerful compound word. **防** is about preparing for and preventing an attack, while **卫** is about the act of guarding. Together, they form the complete concept of "defense" in an active, responsive sense. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In Chinese culture, **防卫 (fángwèi)** is most powerfully encountered in the legal concept of **正当防卫 (zhèngdāng fángwèi)**, or "justifiable self-defense." This concept is a frequent topic of public and legal debate in China. | |
| Unlike the "Stand Your Ground" laws found in some parts of the United States, Chinese law historically placed a very strong emphasis on proportionality. The concept of **防卫过当 (fángwèi guòdàng)**, or "excessive defense," is crucial. This means that if you use more force than is deemed necessary to stop an attacker, you could be held criminally liable. This reflects a broader cultural value that favors de-escalation, restraint, and avoiding conflict escalation whenever possible. While recent legal interpretations have been gradually expanding the scope of what is considered justifiable, the underlying principle of proportionality remains a key cultural and legal touchstone. | |
| Comparing **防卫 (fángwèi)** to the English "defense," `fángwèi` is less abstract. You wouldn't use it to "defend a title" in sports (the correct term is `卫冕 wèimiǎn`) or to "defend a thesis." **防卫** is almost always tied to a concrete threat to one's physical safety, national security, or legal standing. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **防卫 (fángwèi)** is used in specific, often formal contexts. | |
| * **Legal Context:** This is its most significant use. The term **正当防卫 (zhèngdāng fángwèi)** is ubiquitous in news reports, legal discussions, and crime dramas when discussing self-defense cases. | |
| * **Military and National Security:** It's used to describe a country's defensive capabilities, strategies, and actions. For example, `国防卫 (guófáng wèi)` refers to national defense, and a country might state that its military actions are purely for `防卫` purposes. | |
| * **Personal Safety:** In conversations about self-defense classes, you might hear the term `防卫术 (fángwèi shù)` (self-defense techniques) or `女子防卫 (nǚzǐ fángwèi)` (women's self-defense). It implies learning techniques to actively fight off an attacker. | |
| Its connotation is generally neutral to positive, as it implies a justified reaction to aggression. It is almost always used in a formal setting. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 法官裁定他的行为属于**正当防卫**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Fǎguān cáidìng tā de xíngwéi shǔyú **zhèngdāng fángwèi**. | |
| * English: The judge ruled that his actions constituted justifiable self-defense. | |
| * Analysis: This is the most common and important use of `防卫`. `正当防卫` is a fixed legal term. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 学习一些基本的**防卫**技巧对每个人都很重要。 | |
| * Pinyin: Xuéxí yīxiē jīběn de **fángwèi** jìqiǎo duì měi ge rén dōu hěn zhòngyào. | |
| * English: Learning some basic defense techniques is important for everyone. | |
| * Analysis: Here, `防卫` is used as a noun to describe the skill or concept of personal defense. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 该国声称其军事行动纯粹是出于**防卫**目的。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gāi guó shēngchēng qí jūnshì xíngdòng chúncuì shì chūyú **fángwèi** mùdì. | |
| * English: The country claims its military actions are purely for defensive purposes. | |
| * Analysis: A formal statement in international relations or military contexts. `防卫` here emphasizes a reactive, not aggressive, stance. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 面对危险时，他本能地做出了**防卫**的姿势。 | |
| * Pinyin: Miànduì wēixiǎn shí, tā běnnéng de zuòchūle **fángwèi** de zīshì. | |
| * English: When faced with danger, he instinctively adopted a defensive posture. | |
| * Analysis: This describes the physical act of getting ready to defend oneself. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 我们的**防卫**系统足以抵御任何潜在的威胁。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen de **fángwèi** xìtǒng zúyǐ dǐyù rènhé qiánzài de wēixié. | |
| * English: Our defense system is sufficient to resist any potential threats. | |
| * Analysis: Used here in a technical or military sense, referring to a "defense system." | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 这个课程教你如何在被攻击时进行有效**防卫**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège kèchéng jiāo nǐ rúhé zài bèi gōngjī shí jìnxíng yǒuxiào **fángwèi**. | |
| * English: This course teaches you how to effectively defend yourself when attacked. | |
| * Analysis: Here, `防卫` is a verb, "to defend." The phrase `进行防卫` (jìnxíng fángwèi) means "to carry out a defense." | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 心理**防卫**机制可以帮助我们应对创伤。 | |
| * Pinyin: Xīnlǐ **fángwèi** jīzhì kěyǐ bāngzhù wǒmen yìngduì chuāngshāng. | |
| * English: Psychological defense mechanisms can help us cope with trauma. | |
| * Analysis: A more abstract, psychological usage. It shows how the core concept of "warding off a threat" can be applied metaphorically. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 国家的**防卫**预算逐年增加。 | |
| * Pinyin: Guójiā de **fángwèi** yùsuàn zhúnián zēngjiā. | |
| * English: The country's defense budget is increasing year by year. | |
| * Analysis: `防卫` is used as an adjective to modify "budget." In English, this would simply be "defense budget." | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 过度**防卫**在法律上是不被允许的。 | |
| * Pinyin: Guòdù **fángwèi** zài fǎlǜ shàng shì bù bèi yǔnxǔ de. | |
| * English: Excessive defense is not permitted by law. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence highlights the important legal concept of `防卫过当` (excessive defense), a crucial nuance in Chinese law. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 他有权**防卫**自己的家园不受侵犯。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā yǒu quán **fángwèi** zìjǐ de jiāyuán bù shòu qīnfàn. | |
| * English: He has the right to defend his homeland from invasion. | |
| * Analysis: This uses `防卫` in the context of protecting one's home or country, linking it to rights and duties. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **防卫 (fángwèi) vs. 保护 (bǎohù):** This is the most common point of confusion. | |
| * **防卫** is **reactive defense** against an active, ongoing threat. You `防卫` yourself against a mugger. | |
| * **保护 (bǎohù)** is **general protection** of something valuable, often proactively. You `保护` the environment, `保护` your eyes from the sun, or `保护` a child. It's about keeping something safe from potential harm, not necessarily fighting back an attack. | |
| * *Incorrect:* 我要防卫我的孩子。(Wǒ yào fángwèi wǒ de háizi.) -> This sounds like your child is currently being attacked. | |
| * *Correct:* 我要保护我的孩子。(Wǒ yào bǎohù wǒ de háizi.) -> "I want to protect my child." | |
| * **Using 防卫 for abstract "defense":** English speakers might try to use `防卫` for things like "defending a championship" or "defending a viewpoint." This is usually incorrect. | |
| * *Incorrect:* 他需要防卫他的冠军头衔。(Tā xūyào fángwèi tā de guànjūn tóuxián.) | |
| * *Correct:* 他需要**卫冕**他的冠军头衔。(Tā xūyào **wèimiǎn** tā de guànjūn tóuxián.) | |
| * To "defend a viewpoint," you would use words like `辩护 (biànhù)` or `维护 (wéihù)`. | |
| * **防卫 (fángwèi) vs. 辩护 (biànhù) in court:** | |
| * **防卫** refers to the overall concept of defense, including the physical act of self-defense that is being discussed in court. | |
| * **辩护 (biànhù)** is the specific act of a lawyer arguing a case for the defendant in court. A lawyer `为 (wèi)` their client `辩护`. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[正当防卫]] (zhèngdāng fángwèi) - Justifiable self-defense. The most important phrase related to `防卫`. | |
| * [[保护]] (bǎohù) - To protect. A broader, more general term that contrasts with the reactive nature of `防卫`. | |
| * [[防守]] (fángshǒu) - To defend or guard. A close synonym, often used in sports (e.g., defense in basketball) and military tactics. | |
| * [[保卫]] (bǎowèi) - To defend or safeguard. Carries a strong, often patriotic, connotation of protecting something sacred, like `保卫祖国` (defend the motherland). | |
| * [[防御]] (fángyù) - Defense, to defend against. Often refers to a large-scale defensive system or capability, e.g., `导弹防御系统` (missile defense system). | |
| * [[辩护]] (biànhù) - To defend in a legal sense; to plead a case for someone. | |
| * [[自卫]] (zìwèi) - Self-defense. A more direct and personal synonym for the act of defending oneself. `防卫` can be done on behalf of others or a nation, whereas `自卫` is strictly for oneself. | |
| * [[攻击]] (gōngjī) - Attack, assault. The direct antonym of `防卫`. | |
| * [[国防]] (guófáng) - National defense. The specific domain where `防卫` is a core principle at the state level. | |
| * [[反击]] (fǎnjī) - To counter-attack, to fight back. Describes the action one might take as part of their `防卫`. | |