bǎoxiū: 保修 - Warranty, Guarantee to Repair

• Keywords: 保修, bǎoxiū, Chinese warranty, product guarantee China, phone warranty, car warranty, product repair, electronics warranty, consumer rights China, 保修期, bǎoxiū qī, warranty period.
• Summary: Learn about 保修 (bǎoxiū), the essential Chinese word for a product's warranty or guarantee to repair. This page breaks down how to use this term when buying electronics, cars, or appliances in China, explaining the cultural context of consumer rights and the crucial difference between 保修 (bǎoxiū) and a general promise. Understand your rights and navigate after-sales service like a pro.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bǎoxiū
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To guarantee to keep a product in good repair (for free, within a specified period).
• In a Nutshell: 保修 (bǎoxiū) is the promise from a seller or manufacturer that if the product you bought breaks down due to a quality issue, they will fix it for you free of charge. Think of it as the “repair” part of a warranty. It's not a vague promise of quality; it's a specific, actionable guarantee of service. This term is fundamental to any major purchase in modern China.

• 保 (bǎo): To protect, to keep, or to guarantee. You can think of this character as representing a person (亻, a variant of 人) protecting something precious or guaranteeing its safety.
• 修 (xiū): To repair, to fix, or to mend. This character shows a person (亻) engaged in an activity (攸) of fixing or embellishing something.
• When combined, 保修 (bǎoxiū) literally means “guarantee repair.” The meaning is transparent and practical: a promise to fix things.

While the concept of a warranty is universal, 保修 (bǎoxiū) in China is deeply connected to a specific legal and cultural framework known as 三包 (sānbāo), or the “Three Guarantees.” This is a state-mandated consumer protection policy that gives buyers concrete rights. The 三包 (sānbāo) policy legally entitles consumers to:

• 包修 (bāoxiū): Guaranteed repair (our target word).
• 包换 (bāohuàn): Guaranteed replacement (if it can't be repaired or fails multiple times).
• 包退 (bāotuì): Guaranteed return/refund (usually for major faults within a short period after purchase).

In the West, a “warranty” can be a vague term, and the options (repair, replace, refund) might be at the company's discretion. In China, the 三包 policy provides a clearer, legally-backed hierarchy of solutions. Therefore, when you hear 保修 (bǎoxiū), you should understand it as the first and most common step in a robust, nationwide system of consumer rights that has become a cornerstone of China's modern market economy. To claim your warranty, you will almost always need your 发票 (fāpiào), or official receipt.

You will encounter 保修 (bǎoxiū) constantly in any retail environment, especially for big-ticket items.

• In a Store: When buying a phone, laptop, washing machine, or car, one of the first questions you might ask is about the warranty period.
• At a Service Center: If a product breaks, you'll visit a customer service or repair center and say your item is “within the warranty period” (在保修期内 (zài bǎoxiū qī nèi)) to get a free repair.
• On Receipts and Packaging: The warranty terms are often printed on the official receipt (发票 fāpiào) or in the product manual.

The term is transactional and neutral in tone. It's a standard part of business and consumer vocabulary.

• Example 1:
  • 这部手机提供一年保修服务。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù shǒujī tígōng yī nián bǎoxiū fúwù.
  • English: This mobile phone provides one year of warranty service.
  • Analysis: A common sentence you'll see in advertising or hear from a salesperson. 保修 here is used as a noun, “warranty”.
• Example 2:
  • 我的笔记本电脑还在保修期内吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de bǐjìběn diànnǎo hái zài bǎoxiū qī nèi ma?
  • English: Is my laptop still within the warranty period?
  • Analysis: A crucial question to ask before seeking repairs. 保修期 (bǎoxiū qī) means “warranty period.”
• Example 3:
  • 别担心，这个损坏在保修范围内，修理是免费的。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, zhège sǔnhuài zài bǎoxiū fànwéi nèi, xiūlǐ shì miǎnfèi de.
  • English: Don't worry, this damage is within the scope of the warranty, so the repair is free.
  • Analysis: 保修范围 (bǎoxiū fànwéi) means “warranty scope/coverage.” Not all damage (e.g., dropping your phone in water) is covered.
• Example 4:
  • 如果产品坏了，你们负责保修吗？
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ chǎnpǐn huài le, nǐmen fùzé bǎoxiū ma?
  • English: If the product breaks, are you responsible for repairing it under warranty?
  • Analysis: Here, 保修 is used as a verb, “to repair under warranty.”
• Example 5:
  • 对不起，您的手机已经过保修期了。
  • Pinyin: Duìbùqǐ, nín de shǒujī yǐjīng guò bǎoxiū qī le.
  • English: Sorry, your phone is already past its warranty period.
  • Analysis: 过 (guò) means “to pass” or “exceed.” This is what you don't want to hear at the repair shop.
• Example 6:
  • 请问这辆车的发动机保修多久？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn zhè liàng chē de fādòngjī bǎoxiū duōjiǔ?
  • English: Excuse me, how long is the warranty for this car's engine?
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how 保修 can be used as a verb in a question about duration.
• Example 7:
  • 您需要出示有效的发票才能享受保修服务。
  • Pinyin: Nín xūyào chūshì yǒuxiào de fāpiào cáinéng xiǎngshòu bǎoxiū fúwù.
  • English: You need to present a valid receipt to enjoy the warranty service.
  • Analysis: This highlights the importance of the 发票 (fāpiào), the official receipt, in the warranty process.
• Example 8:
  • 按照国家的三包规定，我们必须为您保修。
  • Pinyin: Ànzhào guójiā de sānbāo guīdìng, wǒmen bìxū wèi nín bǎoxiū.
  • English: According to the national “Three Guarantees” regulations, we must repair it for you under warranty.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly references the 三包 (sānbāo) policy, showing the legal weight behind the term.
• Example 9:
  • 这个洗衣机的保修不包括人为损坏。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xǐyījī de bǎoxiū bù bāokuò rénwéi sǔnhuài.
  • English: This washing machine's warranty does not include man-made damage.
  • Analysis: 人为损坏 (rénwéi sǔnhuài) is a key phrase meaning damage caused by the user, which is a standard exclusion.
• Example 10:
  • 我们的所有产品都自带两年保修。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de suǒyǒu chǎnpǐn dōu zìdài liǎng nián bǎoxiū.
  • English: All of our products come with a two-year warranty.
  • Analysis: 自带 (zìdài) means “to come with” or “built-in,” a common way to describe included features like a warranty.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 保修 (bǎoxiū) with 保证 (bǎozhèng).

• 保修 (bǎoxiū) = Guarantee to REPAIR (for products): This is specific, limited to fixing a physical object that has broken down.
• 保证 (bǎozhèng) = Guarantee, to Promise (general): This is a very broad term. You can use it to promise almost anything.

Example of incorrect usage:

• Incorrect: 我保修明天会准时到。(I guarantee to repair that I will be on time tomorrow.) → This makes no sense.
• Correct: 我保证明天会准时到。(I guarantee I will be on time tomorrow.)

Example of correct usage in context:

• Correct: 这台冰箱保修三年。(This fridge has a three-year warranty (for repair).)
• Correct: 我保证这台冰箱的质量很好。(I guarantee/promise that this fridge's quality is very good.) → This is a general statement of quality, not a specific service promise.

Think of it this way: a company makes a 保证 (bǎozhèng) about its product's quality, and they fulfill that promise with a 保修 (bǎoxiū) service if the product fails.

• 三包 (sānbāo) - The foundational “Three Guarantees” policy in China (repair, replace, return) that gives 保修 its legal power.
• 保修期 (bǎoxiū qī) - The warranty period; the duration for which the 保修 is valid.
• 保质期 (bǎozhì qī) - Shelf life or “best before” date. Crucially different from 保修期, as this applies to perishable goods like food and medicine.
• 修理 (xiūlǐ) - The verb “to repair” or “to fix.” This is the action that 保修 guarantees.
• 维修 (wéixiū) - To maintain and repair. Often used interchangeably with 修理, but can imply more routine maintenance. A “维修中心” is a repair/service center.
• 更换 (gēnghuàn) - To replace. The second guarantee in the 三包 policy, used when repair is not possible.
• 退货 (tuìhuò) - To return goods for a refund. The third guarantee in 三包.
• 发票 (fāpiào) - The official invoice/receipt. You almost always need this to claim warranty service.
• 保证 (bǎozhèng) - The general term for “to guarantee” or “a promise.” 保修 is a specific type of 保证.
• 客服 (kèfú) - Customer service (short for 客户服务). The people or department you contact for 保修 issues.