bèifèn: 备份 - Backup, Copy

• Keywords: bèifèn, 备份, backup Chinese, how to say backup in Chinese, data backup, computer terms Chinese, make a copy Chinese, duplicate file, 备, 份, restore Chinese.
• Summary: Learn how to say “backup” in Chinese with the essential word 备份 (bèifèn). This practical term is crucial for navigating modern digital life in China, used for everything from computer data and file backups to making copies of important documents. This guide breaks down `备份` into its core characters, provides practical example sentences for the office and daily conversations, and explains its importance in a tech-savvy society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bèifèn
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To make a copy of something (especially data or a document) for safekeeping; a copy made for this purpose.
• In a Nutshell: `备份 (bèifèn)` is the direct Chinese equivalent of the English word “backup.” It's a modern, universally understood term you'll hear constantly in contexts involving technology, like backing up your phone, computer files, or photos. It can also refer to physical copies, like a photocopy of your passport. The feeling is one of security and preparation—creating a spare “just in case.”

• 备 (bèi): This character means “to prepare,” “to get ready,” or “to have something ready.” It's the same character used in the common word `准备 (zhǔnbèi)`, which means “to prepare.” It implies foresight and planning.
• 份 (fèn): This character is a measure word for a “portion,” “a share,” or “a copy.” For example, `一份文件 (yī fèn wénjiàn)` means “one copy of a document.”

When you combine 备 (bèi) (to prepare) and 份 (fèn) (a copy), the meaning is literally “to prepare a copy.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of creating a duplicate for security and future use.

While the concept of a “backup” is a global one driven by technology, its application in China is deeply tied to the country's rapid and all-encompassing digitization. In Western cultures, backing up data is seen as good practice or a professional responsibility. In China, where platforms like WeChat are central to one's entire social, professional, and even financial life, the act of `备份` takes on a heightened sense of personal necessity. Losing your WeChat history isn't just losing a few conversations; it can mean losing valuable business contacts, personal memories, and official records. Therefore, `备份` is more than just a technical term; it's a modern expression of the traditional Chinese value of 未雨绸缪 (wèiyǔchóumóu) — literally “to mend the roof before the rain starts.” It's about foresight, prudence, and ensuring stability in a fast-paced digital world. The anxiety of losing data is universal, but the sheer centrality of digital platforms in Chinese life makes `备份` a crucial, almost routine, act of self-preservation.

`备份` is a versatile term used in both formal and informal settings. Its usage is almost always neutral and technical.

• Digital & Tech (Most Common): This is the primary context for `备份`.
  • Backing up a phone: `手机备份 (shǒujī bèifèn)`
  • Backing up computer data: `电脑数据备份 (diànnǎo shùjù bèifèn)`
  • Backing up WeChat history: `备份微信聊天记录 (bèifèn Wēixìn liáotiān jìlù)`
• Office & Documents: It's also used for physical and digital documents in a professional setting.
  • “Please make a backup of this contract.”
  • “The server backup is scheduled for midnight.”
• As a Verb vs. a Noun: `备份` can be used flexibly as both a verb (the action of backing up) and a noun (the backup copy itself).
  • Verb: 我需要备份我的照片。(Wǒ xūyào bèifèn wǒ de zhàopiàn.) - “I need to back up my photos.”
  • Noun: 你有这个文件的备份吗？(Nǐ yǒu zhège wénjiàn de bèifèn ma?) - “Do you have a backup of this file?”

• Example 1:
  • 你应该定期备份你的重要文件。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yīnggāi dìngqī bèifèn nǐ de zhòngyào wénjiàn.
  • English: You should regularly back up your important files.
  • Analysis: A common piece of advice. `定期 (dìngqī)` means “periodically” or “at regular intervals.”
• Example 2:
  • 我的手机丢了，还好我上周刚做了备份。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī diū le, háihǎo wǒ shàng zhōu gāng zuò le bèifèn.
  • English: I lost my phone, but luckily I just made a backup last week.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses relief. `还好 (háihǎo)` means “fortunately” or “luckily.” `做了备份 (zuò le bèifèn)` is a common way to say “made a backup.”
• Example 3:
  • 请把这份合同备份一份，然后把原件存档。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhè fèn hétong bèifèn yī fèn, ránhòu bǎ yuánjiàn cúndàng.
  • English: Please make one backup copy of this contract, then file the original.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of `备份` for physical documents in an office context. `一份 (yī fèn)` quantifies the backup.
• Example 4:
  • 这个是备份文件，不是最新版本。
  • Pinyin: Zhège shì bèifèn wénjiàn, bùshì zuìxīn bǎnběn.
  • English: This is the backup file, not the newest version.
  • Analysis: Here, `备份` is used as an adjective to describe the `文件` (file).
• Example 5:
  • 我把所有的照片都备份到云端了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ suǒyǒu de zhàopiàn dōu bèifèn dào yúnduān le.
  • English: I've backed up all my photos to the cloud.
  • Analysis: `云端 (yúnduān)` is the word for “the cloud,” a very common term in modern Chinese.
• Example 6:
  • 如果系统崩溃，我们可以从备份中恢复数据。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ xìtǒng bēngkuì, wǒmen kěyǐ cóng bèifèn zhōng huīfù shùjù.
  • English: If the system crashes, we can restore the data from the backup.
  • Analysis: This sentence pairs `备份` (the noun) with its counterpart action, `恢复 (huīfù)`, meaning “to restore.”
• Example 7:
  • IT部门提醒大家，在下班前完成数据备份。
  • Pinyin: IT bùmén tíxǐng dàjiā, zài xiàbān qián wánchéng shùjù bèifèn.
  • English: The IT department is reminding everyone to complete their data backup before getting off work.
  • Analysis: A formal announcement you might see in a company. Here `数据备份 (shùjù bèifèn)` acts as a noun phrase.
• Example 8:
  • 你有上次会议记录的备份吗？我找不到了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu shàng cì huìyì jìlù de bèifèn ma? Wǒ zhǎo bù dào le.
  • English: Do you have a backup of the last meeting's minutes? I can't find them.
  • Analysis: A practical question in a professional setting. `备份` is used here as a noun.
• Example 9:
  • 我忘了备份，现在电脑里的东西全没了，真后悔！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wàng le bèifèn, xiànzài diànnǎo lǐ de dōngxi quán méi le, zhēn hòuhuǐ!
  • English: I forgot to back up, and now everything on my computer is gone. I really regret it!
  • Analysis: Shows the negative consequence of *not* performing the action of `备份`.
• Example 10:
  • 这个软件可以设置自动备份，非常方便。
  • Pinyin: Zhège ruǎnjiàn kěyǐ shèzhì zìdòng bèifèn, fēicháng fāngbiàn.
  • English: This software can be set to back up automatically, which is very convenient.
  • Analysis: `自动备份 (zìdòng bèifèn)` means “automatic backup.”

For English speakers, the main point of confusion is between `备份 (bèifèn)` and `复制 (fùzhì)`.

• `备份 (bèifèn)` vs. `复制 (fùzhì)`
  • `备份 (bèifèn)`: To create a copy for security or archival purposes. The primary goal is to have a spare in case the original is lost, damaged, or corrupted. It implies long-term safety.
  • `复制 (fùzhì)`: To “copy.” This is a general-purpose action of duplication, often for immediate use. Think “copy and paste” (`复制粘贴 fùzhì zhāntiē`). You `复制` text to paste it elsewhere; you `备份` a file to keep it safe.
  • Incorrect: `请备份这段文字，然后粘贴到邮件里。` (Qǐng bèifèn zhè duàn wénzì, ránhòu zhāntiē dào yóujiàn lǐ.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds strange. You aren't archiving the text for safety; you're just moving it.
  • Correct: `请复制这段文字，然后粘贴到邮件里。` (Qǐng fùzhì zhè duàn wénzì, ránhòu zhāntiē dào yóujiàn lǐ.)
• `备份 (bèifèn)` vs. `复印 (fùyìn)`
  • `复印 (fùyìn)`: Specifically means “to photocopy” or “to Xerox.” It refers *only* to making a physical copy of a physical document using a machine.
  • Relationship: You can `备份` your passport *by* `复印`ing it. `复印` is the method; `备份` is the purpose.

• 复制 (fùzhì) - To copy. The general action of duplicating something, often for immediate use.
• 恢复 (huīfù) - To restore, to recover. The action you take using a backup after data loss.
• 数据 (shùjù) - Data. The information that is most often the subject of a `备份`.
• 文件 (wénjiàn) - File, document. A common item to be backed up.
• 复印 (fùyìn) - To photocopy. The specific physical method for backing up a paper document.
• 云端 (yúnduān) - The cloud (as in cloud computing). A very common place to store a `备份`.
• 存储 (cúnchǔ) - To store; storage. The act of keeping or the place where backups are kept.
• 同步 (tóngbù) - To synchronize. A related but different concept where data in two or more locations is kept identical in real-time.
• U盘 (U pán) - USB Flash Drive. A common physical device used to store backups.
• 硬盘 (yìngpán) - Hard drive. Another key piece of hardware for storing data and backups.