哺育

• Pinyin: bǔ yù
• Hanzi breakdown: 哺 = 口 (mouth) + 甫 (begin), meaning to feed; 育 = 月 (flesh/body) + 子 variant, meaning to raise

Meaning

To nurture; to raise; to nurse. Feeding and caring for offspring, or metaphorically cultivating talent or generations.

Originally refers to breastfeeding or feeding young, but extends metaphorically to describe the nurturing of people, culture, or civilization. Often used poetically to describe how a motherland, river, or institution has nurtured generations. More literary than 养育.

Examples

1. 母亲含辛茹苦地哺育了五个孩子。 The mother endured great hardship to raise her five children.
2. 黄河哺育了华夏文明，是中华民族的母亲河。 The Yellow River has nurtured Chinese civilization — it is the mother river of the Chinese nation.
3. 这所学校哺育了无数杰出的科学家和艺术家。 This school has nurtured countless outstanding scientists and artists.

Usage Guide

Context: parenting, education, cultural, poetic

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 这片土地哺育了一代又一代人。(This land has nurtured generation after generation.)
• 感谢母校的哺育之恩。(Thank you for our alma mater's nurturing grace.)

Don't Say

• 我在哺育我的猫。(For pets, use 养 or 喂 — 哺育 implies the deep bond of raising offspring or has poetic/cultural connotations)

Origin & History

哺 (to feed, chew food for young) + 育 (to raise, nurture). The character 哺 contains 口 (mouth), reflecting the original meaning of feeding.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal