保持 (bǎo chí) means to maintain, keep, or preserve a state or condition. 保 means to protect or keep and 持 means to hold or sustain. It is used for keeping conditions, habits, attitudes, or records: 保持联系 (keep in touch), 保持健康 (maintain health), 保持记录 (hold a record). It implies active effort to sustain something over time, contrasting with passive continuation. Common instruction: 请保持... (please keep...).