珍惜 (zhēnxī) — Cherish, treasure, value

珍惜 (zhēnxī)

珍惜 means to cherish or treasure something -- to value it highly, use it wisely, and not take it for granted. It implies a conscious appreciation of something precious.

Meanings

1. [verb] to cherish; to treasure; to value; to make good use of (something precious)

Example Sentences

我们应该珍惜每一段友谊，真正的朋友是人生的宝贵财富。 Wǒmen yīnggāi zhēnxī měi yī duàn yǒuyì, zhēnzhèng de péngyǒu shì rénshēng de bǎoguì cáifù. We should cherish every friendship; true friends are precious treasures in life.

珍惜时间，合理安排日程，是成功人士的共同特点。 Zhēnxī shíjiān, hélǐ ānpái rìchéng, shì chénggōng rénshì de gòngtóng tèdiǎn. Cherishing time and managing schedules wisely are common traits of successful people.

我们要珍惜现有的自然资源，不能为了短期利益而过度开发。 Wǒmen yào zhēnxī xiànyǒu de zìrán zīyuán, bù néng wèile duǎnqī lìyì ér guòdù kāifā. We must cherish existing natural resources and not over-exploit them for short-term gains.

她非常珍惜这次难得的学习机会，每天都刻苦用功。 Tā fēicháng zhēnxī zhè cì nándé de xuéxí jīhuì, měitiān dōu kèkǔ yòng gōng. She cherishes this rare learning opportunity very much and studies hard every day.

只有经历过失去，才会真正懂得珍惜拥有的一切。 Zhǐyǒu jīnglìguò shīqù, cái huì zhēnzhèng dǒngde zhēnxī yōngyǒu de yīqiè. Only after experiencing loss will one truly understand how to cherish everything one has.

我们都应该珍惜与家人在一起的每一刻。 Wǒmen dōu yīnggāi zhēnxī yǔ jiārén zài yīqǐ de měi yī kè. We should all cherish every moment spent together with family.

Collocations

Usage Notes

珍惜 implies both valuing something and taking good care of it or making good use of it -- it is not just an emotional feeling but also an active behavior. The character 珍 means "precious/treasure" and 惜 means "to value/be sparing with," so 珍惜 captures both the preciousness of the thing and the conscious effort to make the most of it.

Compare 珍惜 with 爱护 (àihù, to take care of/protect) -- 爱护 focuses on physical care and protection, while 珍惜 focuses on truly valuing and not wasting. 珍惜时间 is a very common phrase encouraging people not to waste their time.

Memory Hook

珍 = precious/treasure (like a jewel), 惜 = be sparing with/value -- treating something like a precious treasure and being careful not to waste it -- to cherish.