繁殖

• Pinyin: fán zhí
• Hanzi breakdown: 繁 = 敏 (quick) + 糸 (silk) — multiplying like silkworms; 殖 = 歹 (death/bone) + 直 (straight) — growth

Meaning

To reproduce; to breed; to propagate. The biological process by which organisms produce offspring.

Used for both animals and plants producing offspring. Key terms: 繁殖能力 (reproductive capacity), 繁殖季节 (breeding season), 人工繁殖 (artificial breeding). Can be used metaphorically for the spread of ideas or problems, though this is less common.

Examples

1. 大熊猫繁殖能力很低，所以一直是濒危物种。 Giant pandas have very low reproductive capacity, which is why they've always been an endangered species.
2. 春天是很多鸟类的繁殖季节，公园里到处能看到筑巢的鸟。 Spring is the breeding season for many birds; you can see nesting birds everywhere in the park.
3. 这种植物可以通过扦插繁殖，不需要种子。 This plant can be propagated through cuttings without needing seeds.

Usage Guide

Context: biology, nature, agriculture

Tone: scientific

Do Say

• 这种鱼繁殖速度很快。(This type of fish reproduces very quickly.)
• 人工繁殖技术帮助拯救了很多濒危动物。(Artificial breeding technology has helped save many endangered animals.)

Don't Say

• 用繁殖来形容人类生育 (Don't use 繁殖 for human reproduction in normal conversation — it sounds clinical or dehumanizing; use 生育 or 生孩子 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 繁 (numerous, multiply) + 殖 (grow, breed). Together they mean to multiply and grow in numbers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal