守

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to guard; to defend; to keep watch; to abide by the law; to observe (rules or ritual); nearby; adjoining

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

Keeping something 寸 within one's walls 宀

Components 宀寸

guard · Heisig RSH #192

glue + house

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
有为有守	yǒu wéi yǒu shǒu	able to act while maintaining one's integrity (idiom); also written 有守有為\|有守有为[you3 shou3 y…
守正不阿	shǒu zhèng bù ē	to be strictly just and impartial
守门人	shǒu mén rén	gatekeeper
保守主义	bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì	conservatism
守门员	shǒu mén yuán	goalkeeper
守信用	shǒu xìn yòng	to keep one's word; trustworthy
守身如玉	shǒu shēn rú yù	to keep oneself pure; to preserve one's integrity; to remain chaste
守分	shǒu fèn	to abide by the law; to respect the law
守法	shǒu fǎ	to abide by the law
守车	shǒu chē	guard's van (on train); caboose
守空房	shǒu kōng fáng	to stay home alone (of married woman)
守门	shǒu mén	to keep goal; on duty as gatekeeper
守时	shǒu shí	punctual
守成	shǒu chéng	to preserve the accomplishments of previous generations; to carry on the good work of one'…
独守空房	dú shǒu kōng fáng	(of a married woman) to stay home alone
防守者	fáng shǒu zhě	defender
守制	shǒu zhì	to go into mourning for one's parents
守业	shǒu yè	to preserve one's heritage; to defend the accomplishments of previous generations; to carr…
守卫者	shǒu wèi zhě	defender; a guard
死守	sǐ shǒu	to defend one's property to the death; to cling obstinately to old habits; die-hard

These characters use 守 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
守 sound part	shǒu	to defend, to guard, to protect; to conserve; to wait
狩	shòu	winter hunting; a hunting dog; an imperial tour