Usage note
珍惜表示非常重视并爱护某人或某物。
Zhēnxī biǎoshì fēicháng zhòngshì bìng àihù mǒurén huò mǒuwù.
Cherish means to value and care for someone or something very much.
Context note
我们要珍惜时间，因为时间一去不复返。
Wǒmen yào zhēnxī shíjiān, yīnwèi shíjiān yī qù bù fùfǎn.
We should cherish time, because time never returns once gone.
5 examples
我珍惜和家人的时光。
wǒ zhēn xī hé jiā rén de shí guāng。
I cherish time with my family.
我们要珍惜水资源。
wǒ men yào zhēn xī shuǐ zī yuán。
We should cherish water resources.
她珍惜每一份礼物。
tā zhēn xī měi yí fèn lǐ wù。
She cherishes every gift.
朋友之间要珍惜友谊。
péng yǒu zhī jiān yào zhēn xī yǒu yì。
Friends should cherish friendship.
珍惜现在的幸福生活。
zhēn xī xiàn zài de xìng fú shēng huó。
Cherish the happy life now.
5 mini stories
小丽珍惜她的玩具熊，每天都抱着它。小熊很旧了，但她不换。
xiǎo lì zhēn xī tā de wán jù xióng， měi tiān dōu bào zhe tā。 xiǎo xióng hěn jiù le， dàn tā bú huàn。
Xiao Li cherishes her teddy bear, hugging it every day. The bear is old, but she doesn't replace it.
小明珍惜和爷爷一起钓鱼的时光。他每次都认真听故事。
xiǎo míng zhēn xī hé yé ye yì qǐ diào yú de shí guāng。 tā měi cì dōu rèn zhēn tīng gù shì。
Xiao Ming cherishes time fishing with grandpa. He listens carefully to stories each time.
小红珍惜她的画笔，因为那是朋友送的。她用它们画了很多画。
xiǎo hóng zhēn xī tā de huà bǐ， yīn wèi nà shì péng yǒu sòng de。 tā yòng tā men huà le hěn duō huà。
Xiao Hong cherishes her paintbrushes because they were a gift from a friend. She paints many pictures with them.
小华珍惜每一本书，从不乱扔。他喜欢在图书馆安静地读。
xiǎo huá zhēn xī měi yì běn shū， cóng bú luàn rēng。 tā xǐ huan zài tú shū guǎn ān jìng dì dú。
Xiao Hua cherishes every book, never throwing them around. He likes to read quietly in the library.
小刚珍惜和同学一起玩耍的快乐。他常说谢谢。
xiǎo gāng zhēn xī hé tóng xué yì qǐ wán shuǎ de kuài lè。 tā cháng shuō xiè xiè。
Xiao Gang cherishes the joy of playing with classmates. He often says thank you.
Mini dialogue
珍惜时间
A
我们要珍惜时间。
Wǒmen yào zhēnxī shíjiān.
We should cherish time.
B
对，时间很宝贵。
Duì, shíjiān hěn bǎoguì.
Right, time is very precious.
珍惜朋友
A
我很珍惜你这个朋友。
Wǒ hěn zhēnxī nǐ zhège péngyou.
I really cherish you as a friend.
B
我也是，我们永远是好朋友。
Wǒ yě shì, wǒmen yǒngyuǎn shì hǎo péngyou.
Me too, we will always be good friends.
Related words and contrasts
similar
爱惜
àixī
to cherish; to use sparingly
爱惜 is often used for taking good care of things, while 珍惜 is for valuing people, time, or opportunities.
opposite
浪费
làngfèi
to waste
珍惜 means to cherish, 浪费 means to waste.
related
珍贵
zhēnguì
precious
珍贵 is the adjective form, describing something worth cherishing.