keep

Compared meaning: to hold onto something, not give it up (verb).

比较义项：保留、保存某物（动词）。

• keep 本词

  The neutral, everyday word for holding onto something instead of giving it away, discarding it, or returning it; doesn't necessarily imply saving it for future use.

  是最普通、最中性的词，表示把某物留在自己手中，而不送人、不丢弃、不归还；不一定包含「为将来使用」的意思。

  I keep a spare key under the doormat in case I get locked out.

  我把备用钥匙放在门垫下面，以防被锁在外面。

• save

  Implies deliberately not using or spending something now so that it's available for later, often for money, time, or resources; stronger sense of foresight and economizing.

  强调现在特意不使用、不花费某物，为了以后能派上用场，常用于金钱、时间等资源，带有为未来打算、节省的意味。

  I try to save some money every single month.

  我每个月都尽量省一点钱。

Keep and save both mean to hold onto something instead of losing or giving it away. Keep is the neutral, everyday word, simply meaning to continue having something. Save adds the idea of deliberately not using something now, so it is available later.

两者都表示把某物保留下来，不丢弃、不放弃；save 更强调「为了以后使用」而特意保留，常用于金钱、时间等资源，语气偏向节省和打算；keep 语气更中性，只表示继续持有某物，不一定包含为未来打算的意思。这里不比较 keep 表示「维持某种状态」（如 keep quiet）的用法。

Compared meaning: money earned to live on (noun).

比较义项：生计，维持生活所需的收入或方式（名词）。

• living

  Living is the everyday, neutral word for the money or means of surviving, almost always used in the fixed phrase 'earn/make a living'; it does not specify the trade.

  living是日常、中性的说法，几乎总是出现在“earn/make a living”这个固定搭配里，泛指赖以生存的收入或方式，不指明具体行业。

  She makes a decent living as a freelance translator.

  她靠做自由译者挣得一份不错的生计。

• keep 本词

  As a noun, keep appears almost only in the phrase 'earn one's keep', meaning the food, lodging and expenses someone provides in exchange for work, not wages earned elsewhere.

  keep作名词时几乎只出现在“earn one's keep”这个短语里，指别人为换取劳动而提供的食宿和生活费用，而不是在别处挣得的工资。

  The interns work long hours just to earn their keep at the farm.

  实习生在农场长时间工作，只是为了换取食宿。

• livelihood

  Livelihood is a more formal word naming the specific trade or source of income a person or community depends on, often used for occupations like farming or fishing.

  livelihood是更正式的说法，指个人或群体赖以维生的具体行业或收入来源，常用于务农、捕鱼等职业。

  Small-scale farming remains the main livelihood in this region.

  小规模务农仍是这个地区人们主要的生计来源。

Living, keep and livelihood all mean money earned to live. Living is common, used almost only in 'earn/make a living'. Keep, as a noun, appears mainly in 'earn one's keep', meaning food and lodging for work. Livelihood is formal, naming someone's trade.

这三个词在“挣得生活所需的钱或方式”这个意义上相近，但语域和搭配不同：living最常用、语域中性，几乎只出现在“earn/make a living”这个固定搭配里；keep作此义时几乎只用于“earn one's keep”这一固定短语，强调换取食宿而非工资；livelihood更正式，强调个人或群体赖以谋生的具体行业或收入来源。这里不比较keep作动词“保留，保持”的意思，也不比较living作形容词“活着的”的意思。