Today’s Word
Word Breakdown
护 (hù) v. protect
短 (duǎn) n./adj. shortcoming, short,
Quick Answer
Definition & Usage
护短 literally means to protect one’s shortcomings. This verb actually means “to defend sb (a relative, friend, or oneself) despite knowing that that person is in the wrong.
Some may translate 护短 into “cover up one’s mistakes”, which doesn’t exactly point out the right situation to use it. Most times, 护短 refers to protecting your own member(s) (in your family or your organization) who is faulty in a dispute or fight. Let’s say your kid quarreled with another kid of your neighbors’. You will speak for your own kid even though it is your kid’s fault. Or, you are protecting your subordinate, your man in your team, that kind of behavior is called “护短”.
It conveys something like, “Don’t judge me, my friends or my family; Never blame me or criticize me; If I make a mistake, you must ignore it. Then you are my friend.”
Example Sentences
孩子如果犯了错就应该批评教育，做妈妈的不能护短。
Háizi rúguǒ fànle cuò jiù yīnggāi pīpíng jiàoyù, zuò māmā de bùnéng hùduǎn.
If children make mistakes, they should be criticized and educated, and mothers shouldn’t defend them despite their mistakes.
王总是个非常护短的人，他批评自己的人可以，但是绝对不允许别人批评他的人。
Wáng zǒng shìgè fēicháng hùduǎn de rén, tā pīpíng zìjǐ de rén kěyǐ, dànshì juéduì bù yǔnxǔ biérén pīpíng tā de rén.
Mr. Wang will defend his men without any rationale. Only he can criticize his own people, but he absolutely does not allow others to criticize his people.
谁犯了错就惩罚谁，我绝不护短。
Shéi fàn le cuò jiù chéngfá shéi, wǒ jué bù hùduǎn.
Whoever made a mistake will be punished, and I will never cover his shortcomings up.