Correct

保持 vs 维持

/ bǎochí vs wéichí /
Strokes

Definition

保持 and 维持 both are Verb, which means [keep; maintain; preserve].

Example

保持 means ”to keep a state or situation unchanged" and can take all sorts of nominal objects and disyllabic verbal and adjectival objects.
维持 cannot take the place of 保持 in these examples.
1
Xiǎochéng
小城
de
jiànzhù
建筑
  
,
zhí
一直
bǎochí
保持
zhāo
míngqīng
明清
shídài
时代
de
fēngmào
风貌
  

The buildings in the small town remain the styles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

2
zài
gōngzuò
工作
zhōng
yǒngyuǎn
永远
bǎochí
保持
zhāo
积极
guān
乐观
de
jīngshén
精神
  

He's always positive and optimistic in his work.

3
dào
遇到
zhèzhǒng
这种
gān
尴尬
de
chǎngmiàn
场面
  
,
zhǐnéng
只能
bǎochí
保持
chén
沉默
  

What he can do is keeping silent in such an awkward situation.

4
Qíngkuàng
情况
jǐn
紧急
  
,
men
我们
yào
xiǎng
bàn
办法
shǐ
使
jiā
大家
de
qíng
情绪
bǎochí
保持
wěndìng
稳定
  

The situation is urgent, and we should try our best to keep everyone calm.

5
Cóng
hòu
以后
men
他们
liǎ
zhí
一直
bǎochí
保持
zhāo
lián
联系
  

From then on, they two have kept in touch till today.

保持 sometimes can be modified by a Noun.
维持 cannot take the place of 保持 in these examples.
6
dìng
一定
yào
zhù
注意
shuǐ
水土
bǎochí
保持
  

Attention must be paid to the soil and water conservation.

Besides keeping sth. unchanged,维持 also implies reluctance, passivity and something that must continue (e.g. examples ⑧ and ⑨)
7
Huìchǎng
会场
zhì
秩序
yóu
huì
大会
gōngzuò
工作
rényuán
人员
负责
wéichí
维持
  

The conference staff is responsible for the order in the assembly hall.

8
de
gōng
工资
jǐn
gòu
wéichí
维持
liǎng
rén
de
shēnghuó
生活
  

Her salary is only enough for two persons.

9
Bìngrén
病人
qíngkuàng
情况
shí
fēn
wēi
危急
  
,
xiànzài
现在
kào
shū
输液
wéichí
维持
shēngmìng
生命
  

The patient is critically ill,depending completely on infusion.

Sometimes the 保持 and 维持 are interchangeable.
保持 is usually applied to a normal and effortless relationship, while 维持 to the passive or reluctant relationship.
10
Liǎng
jiā
gōng
公司
hái
bǎochí
保持
  
(
wéichí
维持
  
)
zhāo
zuò
合作
guānxi
关系
  

They two companies still keep in touch.

维持 also means safeguard and support.
11
Ànzhōng
暗中
wéichí
维持

to give secret support to

12
Duōfāng
多方
wéichí
维持

make every effort to defend

Related

维持保持