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飼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
飼sìto raise animals; to nourish, to feedzg, 13 strokes, radical 飠
sì(si4)si T4
  1. 1to raise animals; to nourish, to feed
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March 24, 2026

飼sì(si4)

The character 飼 (sì) means 'to raise animals' or 'to feed.' It is commonly used in contexts related to animal husbandry, pet care, and agriculture, emphasizing the act of providing nourishment and care to animals. This character conveys a sense of responsibility towards living creatures.

Strokes13Radical飠
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, raising animals is often tied to agricultural practices, with many families relying on livestock for food and income. The concept of animal husbandry is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese farming and is reflected in various festivals and culinary practices.

Memory tip

Imagine a farmer (田, tián) feeding his animals. The character 飼 combines the radical for 'to feed' (饣, shí) with another component that evokes the idea of caring for these animals, making it memorable. Picture the farmer saying 'sì' while lovingly giving food to his livestock.

Meanings of 飼

sì(si4)
1to raise animals; to nourish, to feed
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 飼

飼Simplified
13Strokes
飠Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 飼

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AI study notes for 飼

Quick Contrast

饲 (sì) - use 飼 (sì) when referring to the act of raising or feeding animals in a more traditional or formal context, while 饲 (sì) is more commonly used in modern contexts.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 飼 with similar-sounding characters, as it has a specific focus on animals rather than people. It is generally used in neutral or formal contexts, particularly in discussions about animal care. Common collocations include 飼养 (sìyǎng), meaning 'to raise' or 'to rear.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 飼 is not currently an HSK level word, it connects with topics like animals and care, which are often covered in beginner levels. Focus on differentiating between 飼 and related terms, such as 养 (yǎng), which also means 'to raise' but can apply to both animals and people.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 飼 with 养 (yǎng), which can lead to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '我飼狗' (wǒ sì gǒu) instead of '我养狗' (wǒ yǎng gǒu) is incorrect; 飼 is more about the act of feeding than the general raising of pets.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 飼

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Etymology of 飼

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

Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 司 represents the sound. Simplified form of 飼.

Memory hint

food

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

Origin

飼 = 飠 + 司. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 飼

IDS Structure⿰飠司
飼Full character
=
飠shi2
left
司Si1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 飼?

How to say to raise animals; to nourish, to feed in Chinese

“to raise animals; to nourish, to feed” in Chinese is飼sì

The character 飼 (sì) means 'to raise animals' or 'to feed.' It is commonly used in contexts related to animal husbandry, pet care, and agriculture, emphasizing the act of providing nourishment and care to animals. This character conveys a sense of responsibility towards living creatures.

When to use 飼

Be careful not to confuse 飼 with similar-sounding characters, as it has a specific focus on animals rather than people. It is generally used in neutral or formal contexts, particularly in discussions about animal care. Common collocations include 飼养 (sìyǎng), meaning 'to raise' or 'to rear.'

飼 or something close to it

饲 (sì) - use 飼 (sì) when referring to the act of raising or feeding animals in a more traditional or formal context, while 饲 (sì) is more commonly used in modern contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 飼 with 养 (yǎng), which can lead to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '我飼狗' (wǒ sì gǒu) instead of '我养狗' (wǒ yǎng gǒu) is incorrect; 飼 is more about the act of feeding than the general raising of pets.

Write 飼

飼

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Word Family of 飼

Words containing this character7
饲料sìliàofeed飼料
饲养sìyǎngto raise飼養
饲养员zookeeper飼養員
饲sìto raise飼
饲草forage grass飼草
饲养业stock farming飼養業
饲养者feeder飼養者
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 飼

What does 饲料 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 飼

Common phrases include 飼养 (sìyǎng), meaning 'to raise' or 'to rear,' and 飼料 (sìliào), meaning 'animal feed.'

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