‘保重’ (bǎo zhòng) literally means ‘protect and value’ — 保 (bǎo) means ‘to protect, to keep safe’, and 重 (zhòng) means ‘important, weighty, valuable’. Together, they form a warm, respectful farewell expression meaning ‘take care (of yourself)’, especially when wishing someone well amid concern for their health or wellbeing. It carries a gentle, caring tone and is commonly used when parting ways with someone you care about, such as elders, friends, or colleagues.

This phrase is not used in casual daily greetings like ‘hi’ or ‘bye’, but rather in thoughtful farewells — often after illness, before travel, during emotional goodbyes, or at the end of heartfelt conversations. It implies sincere hope that the person will prioritize their health and safety. Though grammatically it looks like a verb phrase, in practice it functions as a fixed, idiomatic interjection — never conjugated or modified. It’s more formal and tender than ‘bye’ or ‘see you later’, closer in sentiment to ‘take good care of yourself’.