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养 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
养yǎngto raise (animals)HSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
养yǎngto bring up (children)HSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
养yǎngto keep (pets)HSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
养yǎngto supportHSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
养yǎngto give birthHSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
养yǎngto raise, to rear, to bring up; to supportHSK 3, v, 9 strokes, radical 丷, rank #1025, Medium
yǎng(yang3) T3
  1. 1to raise (animals)
  2. 2to bring up (children)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
养(養)yǎng(yang3)

The character 养 (yǎng) means to raise or nurture, commonly used in the context of animals, children, or even plants. It carries the connotation of providing care and support over time, emphasizing a relationship of growth and development.

Strokes9Radical丷Frequency#1025DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 养 extends beyond just raising children or pets; it includes the notion of nurturing relationships and responsibilities within a family. This is evident during festivals like the Spring Festival, when families often gather to honor and support each other.

Memory Tip

Imagine a farmer (养) nurturing a young animal. The character looks like a person (亻) and a field (羊), symbolizing the act of raising livestock in a field. Visualize the farmer lovingly feeding the animal, reinforcing the sound 'yǎng' with the image of 'young' in English.

Meanings of 养

yǎng(yang3)
1to raise (animals)
2to bring up (children)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 养

养Simplified
養Traditional
9Strokes
丷Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1025Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 养

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Podcast: 养

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AI Study Notes for 养

Quick Contrast

养 (yǎng) vs 教 (jiāo) — choose 养 when emphasizing care and nurturing, while 教 focuses on teaching or instructing.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a farmer (养) nurturing a young animal. The character looks like a person (亻) and a field (羊), symbolizing the act of raising livestock in a field. Visualize the farmer lovingly feeding the animal, reinforcing the sound 'yǎng' with the image of 'young' in English.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 养 with other similar-sounding verbs like 养成 (yǎng chéng, to cultivate) or 忍 (rěn, to endure). The character is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing family or pets. Remember to use the correct tone: yǎng (third tone) is essential to convey the right meaning.

HSK Study Tips

养 is a useful verb for HSK 3 learners as it connects with words related to family and pets, such as 家 (jiā, family) and 宠物 (chǒngwù, pet). Focus on practicing sentences that involve caring for animals or discussing upbringing to solidify understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 养 extends beyond just raising children or pets; it includes the notion of nurturing relationships and responsibilities within a family. This is evident during festivals like the Spring Festival, when families often gather to honor and support each other.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 养 with the similar word 教 (jiāo, to teach), leading to incorrect phrases like '我教孩子' instead of '我养孩子' (I raise children). Always ensure you are using the right verb based on the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 养

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Etymology of 养

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 養. Phonosemantic compound. 食 represents the meaning and 羊 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

child

Semantic (meaning)儿
+
Phonetic (sound)羊
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 养?

Decomposition of 养

IDS Structure⿱羊儿
养Full Character
=
羊Yang2
top
儿er2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 养?

Write 养

养

Practice writing 养 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 养

养 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

This pattern emphasizes the action of raising or bringing up, often specifying the subject or object.

我是在农村养的猪。

Wǒ shì zài nóngcūn yǎng de zhū.

I raised pigs in the countryside.

Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

他____了两只猫。

He keeps two cats.

Common Confusions with 养

养vs样
yàng

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

养 and 育 both relate to upbringing, but 养 emphasizes raising animals or living beings, while 育 focuses on education and development.

1

教育是育人的过程，而养主要指日常生活中的照顾。

养 and 育 both relate to upbringing, but 养 emphasizes raising animals or living beings, while 育 focuses on education and development.

💡养 is for animals and pets, 育 is for education.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to raise (animals)"?

or

Usage Notes for 养

Misuse with non-living subjectsCommon Error

养 should not be used with non-living subjects, as it specifically refers to raising living beings.

1

他养一只宠物。

He raises a pet.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

他____一只宠物。

He raises a pet.

Example Sentences for 养 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
除了给轮胎充气外，我没做过任何汽车保养。

chú le gěi lún tāi chōng qì wài， ， wǒ méi zuò guò rèn hé qì chē bǎo。

Other than blowing up a tyre I hadn't done any car maintenance.
2
养育孩子的现实经常与浪漫的理想大相径庭。

yǎng yù hái zǐ de xiàn shí jīng cháng yǔ làng màn de lǐ xiǎng dà xiāng jìng tíng。

The reality of mothering is frequently very different from the romantic ideal.
3
你需要培养的关键技能就是让那些家长认错。

nǐ xū yào péi yǎng de guān jiàn jì néng jiù shì ràng nà xiē jiā cháng rèn cuò。

The crucial skill you need to develop is sorting out the parents.
4
山间的一小块耕地是不可能养活一大家人的。

shān jiān de yī xiǎo kuài gēng dì shì bù kě néng yǎng huó yī dà jiā rén de。

A smallholding in the hills could not support a large family.
5
培养年轻球员应该是所有俱乐部谋求发展之道。

péi yǎng nián qīng qiú yuán yīng gāi shì suǒ yǒu jù lè bù móu qiú fā zhǎn zhī dào。

Young players have got to be the way forward for every club.
6
他们将孩子培养成了虔诚的基督教徒。

tā mén jiāng hái zǐ péi yǎng chéng le qián chéng de jī dū jiào tú。

They brought up their children to be God-fearing Christians.
7
乳牛的喂养方法发生了巨大的改变。

rǔ niú de wèi yǎng fāng fǎ fā shēng le jù dà de gǎi biàn。

The feeding of dairy cows has undergone a revolution.
8
这家人把斯蒂芬·史密斯视为养子一样当作一家人。

zhè jiā rén bǎ sī dì fēn· · shǐ mì sī shì wéi yǎng zǐ yī yàng dāng zuò yī jiā。

Stephen Smith was accepted into the family like an adopted brother.
9
这是条曾被收养的流浪狗。

zhè shì tiáo zēng bèi shōu yǎng de liú làng gǒu。

The dog was a stray which had been adopted.
10
这条看门狗不好斗，因此正在养狗场受训。

zhè tiáo kàn mén gǒu bù hǎo dǒu， ， yīn cǐ zhèng zài yǎng gǒu cháng shòu。

The guard dog was now in kennels as it was not aggressive.

Cultural Notes for 养

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, raising pets is becoming increasingly popular, especially in urban areas. Many families consider pets as part of the family, similar to children.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 养 extends beyond just raising children or pets; it includes the notion of nurturing relationships and responsibilities within a family. This is evident during festivals like the Spring Festival, when families often gather to honor and support each other.

📜Proverb

养儿防老 (yǎng ér fáng lǎo) translates to 'Raise children to prevent old age.' This reflects the traditional belief that children support their parents in old age.

Word Family of 养

Words Containing This Character20
养yǎngto support養
培养péiyǎngto cultivate培養
营养yíngyǎngnutrition營養
收养shōuyǎngadoption收養
抚养fǔyǎngto foster撫養
领养lǐngyǎngadoption領養
养老yǎnglǎoto enjoy a life in retirement養老
养殖yǎngzhíto cultivate養殖
保养bǎoyǎngto maintain保養
饲养sìyǎngto raise飼養
养活yǎnghuoto provide for養活
养老金yǎnglǎojīnpension養老金
养成yǎngchéngto cultivate養成
教养jiàoyǎngto train教養
修养xiūyǎngtraining修養
喂养wèiyǎngto keep餵養
养育to rear養育
养生yǎngshēngto maintain good health養生
养老院yǎnglǎoyuànnursing home養老院
养家to support a family養家
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 养 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 养

养 (yǎng) is a broader term that means to raise or bring up, while 饲养 (sìyǎng) specifically refers to the feeding and care of animals, especially in a more commercial or agricultural context. Both terms involve care, but 饲养 emphasizes the aspect of providing food.