Definitions

péi (verb) to cultivate; to nurture
péi (verb) to bank up with earth
péi (verb) to train (people)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 培, structurally consistent with the earth radical 土 alongside the phonetic component 咅, derives from the tangible agricultural practice of heaping soil to support and nourish plants, which established its initial sense of promoting growth from the ground. This concrete origin gradually allowed for a semantic broadening, whereby the act of physically cultivating the earth was transferred to abstract domains, leading to its current meanings involving the fostering of talents, the development of skills, or the nurturing of personal attributes. Its composition, which pairs a meaningful element with a sound clue, has remained unchanged, supporting this evolution from a literal to a metaphorical application within the language.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

养孩子很重要。

Péiyǎng háizi hěn zhòngyào.

Raising children is very important.

学校在训新老师。

Xuéxiào zài péixùn xīn lǎoshī.

The school is training new teachers.

我们要养阅读习惯。

Wǒmen yào péiyǎng yuèdú xíguàn.

We need to cultivate a reading habit.

他正在育新品种。

Tā zhèngzài péiyù xīn pǐnzhǒng.

He is cultivating a new variety.

公司注重人才养。

Gōngsī zhùzhòng réncái péiyǎng.

The company emphasizes talent development.

耐心育才能开花结果。

Nàixīn péiyù cái néng kāihuā jiéguǒ.

Only patient nurturing can make it blossom and bear fruit.

他的成功得益于老师的栽

Tā de chénggōng déyì yú lǎoshī de zāipéi.

His success benefited from his teacher's mentorship.

这个项目旨在养青少年的社会责任感。

Zhège xiàngmù zhǐ zài péiyǎng qīngshàonián de shèhuì zérèngǎn.

This project aims to foster a sense of social responsibility in teenagers.