豢

huàn

豕 + 龹

Definitions

huàn to rear; to raise (animals)

Etymology phono-semantic

pig

Semantic: 豕 Phonetic: 龹

About

豢 is a phono-semantic compound in which the lower radical 豕 (shǐ) 'pig' provides the animal-related meaning, while the upper component 龹 (quán) suggests the pronunciation. Its earliest, literal sense was the agricultural practice of feeding, raising, and domesticating livestock, especially pigs, with grain or prepared fodder. Over time, this literal meaning expanded into a highly derogatory metaphorical usage in political and social contexts. In modern Chinese, 豢 is employed almost exclusively to describe the rearing or grooming of lackeys, mercenaries, or corrupt subordinates for one's own sinister ends, most commonly in the phrase 豢养 (to feed and retain as henchmen).

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我家豢养了一只可爱的猫。

Wǒ jiā huàn yǎng le yī zhǐ kě ài de māo.

My family raises a cute cat.

农民豢养奶牛来生产牛奶。

Nóngmín huàn yǎng nǎiniú lái shēngchǎn niúnǎi.

Farmers raise dairy cows to produce milk.

这个农场豢养了许多种动物。

Zhège nóngchǎng huàn yǎng le xǔduō zhǒng dòngwù.

This farm raises many kinds of animals.

他们豢养家禽为了获得鸡蛋和肉。

Tāmen huàn yǎng jiāqín wèile huòdé jīdàn hé ròu.

They raise poultry to get eggs and meat.

在古代，富人常豢养马匹用于交通。

Zài gǔdài, fùrén cháng huàn yǎng mǎpǐ yòng yú jiāotōng.

In ancient times, rich people often raised horses for transportation.

为了保持生态平衡，我们谨慎豢养野生动物。

Wèile bǎochí shēngtài pínghéng, wǒmen jǐnshèn huàn yǎng yěshēng dòngwù.

To maintain ecological balance, we carefully raise wild animals.

这家公司豢养了一批专业保镖以保护高层安全。

Zhè jiā gōngsī huàn yǎng le yī pī zhuānyè bǎobiao yǐ bǎohù gāocéng ānquán.

This company raised a group of professional bodyguards to protect senior management.

通过科学豢养，畜牧业的效率得到了显著提升。

Tōngguò kēxué huàn yǎng, xùmùyè de xiàolǜ dédào le xiǎnzhù tíshēng.

Through scientific rearing, the efficiency of the animal husbandry industry has been significantly improved.

Related Characters

Component: 豕

Component: 龹

豢