保重
bou² zung⁶
In Cantonese, 'take care' is translated as 保重 (bou² zung⁶).
保重 is used to express 'take care' when parting ways, particularly when someone is traveling, falling ill or facing a difficult period in their life.
Meaning: good-bye (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 保重 is composed of 保, meaning to preserve or protect and 重, meaning heavy or important. Literally, it means to protect one's health or well-being.
Which one should you use?
While 保重 is used for long-term departures, for everyday casual goodbyes, Cantonese speakers are more likely to use phrases like 再見 or 'bye-bye'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
保重 is a formal way to say 'take care' and is typically used in serious contexts or when parting for a long period. In contrast, 小心啲呀 and 保重啦 are informal ways to say 'take care.'
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, the variation 撐住啊 is used to mean 'Hang in there.' In Guangdong province, you will commonly hear 注意身體, which means 'Take care of your health.'
How do you pronounce it?
bou² zung⁶
Did you know?
- Because 保重 is so solemn, using it when saying goodbye to a colleague you will see tomorrow could be misinterpreted as a hint that you are quitting your job or moving away.
- The formal 保重 is rarely used in spoken Cantonese between young people, who instead adopt the English 'bye-bye' as a native loanword for almost all casual departures.
- If you use 小心啲呀 to say 'take care', you are actually telling the person to be 'a little more careful', making it a warning about immediate physical safety rather than a general parting wish.
Examples in context
- 下次再見啦！你照顧好自己呀！Goodbye for now! Take good care of yourself!
- 你都要保重啦，有機會再聯絡！You take care too, let's keep in touch!
- 撐住啊！用心跑就好，記得保重身體。Hang in there! Run with all your heart and take care of your body.
- 你要保重呀。nei5 jiu3 bou2 zung6 aa3.You must take care.
- 保重，下次再見。bou2 zung6, haa6 ci3 zoi3 gin3.Take care, see you next time.
Example conversation
Two friends are saying goodbye at the airport.
- 志強 Chi Keung雅婷，你要保重。ngaa5 ting4, nei5 jiu3 bou2 zung6.Ya Ting, you must take care.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting多謝你，志強。do1 ze6 nei5, zi3 koeng4.Thank you, Zhi Qiang.
- 志強 Chi Keung到了給我發訊息。dou3 liu5 kap1 ngo5 faat3 seon3 si6.Send me a message when you arrive.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting好，保重，再見！hou2, bou2 zung6, zoi3 gin3!Okay, take care, goodbye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take care” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
