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孵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
孵fūto brood over eggs, to incubate, to hatchv, 14 strokes, radical 子, rank #20389, Very Hard
孵fūbreedingunknown, 14 strokes, radical 子, rank #20389, Very Hard
fū(fu1)fu T1
  1. 1to brood over eggs, to incubate, to hatch
  2. 2breeding
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March 24, 2026

孵fū(fu1)

The character 孵 (fū) refers to the process of brooding over eggs, typically by birds, to facilitate hatching. This term is commonly used in contexts related to animal breeding, incubation, and the nurturing of eggs until they hatch into young. It emphasizes care and warmth during the incubation period.

Strokes14Radical子Frequency#20389DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of hatching or incubating is often associated with the nurturing of new life, reflecting the importance of family and continuity. The tradition of raising chickens for food and symbolism in festivals often features this term.

Memory tip

Imagine a mother hen sitting on her eggs, gently 'fū'-ing them with her warmth so they can hatch. The character 孵 is composed of the radical for 'child' (子) at the bottom, suggesting nurturing and care, while the top part indicates the action of sitting or brooding.

Meanings of 孵

fū(fu1)
1to brood over eggs, to incubate, to hatch
2breeding
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 孵

孵Simplified
14Strokes
子Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 孵

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Podcast: 孵

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AI Study Notes for 孵

Quick Contrast

孵 (fū) vs 养 (yǎng) — use 孵 specifically for the brooding of eggs, while 养 refers to raising or nurturing animals more generally.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 孵 with 赋 (fù), which means to assign or grant. 孵 is typically used in informal contexts, such as everyday conversation about animals, rather than in formal writing. Be mindful of tone; the pronunciation 'fū' must have the first tone for accuracy.

HSK Study Tips

While 孵 is not included in the official HSK list, it connects with basic vocabulary around animals and nature. Focus on understanding how this term is used in combination with related terms like 蛋 (dàn), meaning 'egg', to deepen your comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 孵 as 'fù' instead of the correct 'fū'. An example of wrong usage would be saying '我在孵鸟' (Wǒ zài fù niǎo) instead of '我在孵蛋' (Wǒ zài fū dàn) when referring to hatching eggs.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 孵

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Etymology of 孵

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To brood 孚 over eggs 卵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 孵?

Decomposition of 孵

IDS Structure⿰卵孚
孵Full character
=
卵luan3
left
孚fu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 孵?

How to say to brood over eggs, to incubate, to hatch in Chinese

“to brood over eggs, to incubate, to hatch” in Chinese is孵fū

The character 孵 (fū) refers to the process of brooding over eggs, typically by birds, to facilitate hatching. This term is commonly used in contexts related to animal breeding, incubation, and the nurturing of eggs until they hatch into young. It emphasizes care and warmth during the incubation period.

When to use 孵

A common mistake is to confuse 孵 with 赋 (fù), which means to assign or grant. 孵 is typically used in informal contexts, such as everyday conversation about animals, rather than in formal writing. Be mindful of tone; the pronunciation 'fū' must have the first tone for accuracy.

孵 or something close to it

孵 (fū) vs 养 (yǎng) — use 孵 specifically for the brooding of eggs, while 养 refers to raising or nurturing animals more generally.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 孵 as 'fù' instead of the correct 'fū'. An example of wrong usage would be saying '我在孵鸟' (Wǒ zài fù niǎo) instead of '我在孵蛋' (Wǒ zài fū dàn) when referring to hatching eggs.

Write 孵

孵

Practice writing 孵 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 孵

孵 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

鸟儿回到巢里继续____卵。

The birds returned to their nests and continued to incubate the eggs.

Example Sentences for 孵 (7)

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1
鸟儿回到巢里继续孵卵。

niǎo ér huí dào cháo lǐ jì xù fū luǎn。

The birds returned to their nests and continued to incubate the eggs.
2
一窝十二个蛋孵出了十个.

yī wō shí èr gè dàn fū chū le shí gè.

Ten out of the set of twelve were hatched.
3
这只鸟错把卵石当蛋,想去孵它.

zhè zhī niǎo cuò bǎ luǎn shí dāng dàn, , xiǎng qù fū.

The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.
4
这些时期,鸟儿会趴在笼底,好像在下蛋或孵蛋。

zhè xiē shí qī, , niǎo ér huì pā zài lóng, dǐ , hǎo xiàng zài xià dàn huò。

During these periods the birds will lie on the cage floor as if trying to lay or hatch eggs.
5
虫卵进入淡水,孵化成毛蚴.

chóng luǎn jìn rù dàn shuǐ, , fū huà chéng máo.

Eggs that reach fresh water hatch into ciliated miracidia.
6
那只蛋的壳厚0.14毫米,新孵出的雏鸟重9克。

nà zhī dàn de ké hòu0.14 0.14 háo, mǐ , xīn fū chū de chú9 niǎo。

The egg had a shell thickness of 14mm and the newly-hatched chick weighed nine grams.
7
蛋尚未孵出,勿先数鸡.

dàn shàng wèi fū chū, , wù xiān shù.

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

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Word Family of 孵

Words containing this character7
孵化fūhuàbreeding
孵fūbreeding
孵化器incubator
孵育to incubate
孵卵to hatch
孵化场incubator孵化場
孵化期incubation period
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 孵

What does 孵化 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 孵

You can say '母鸡在孵蛋' (Mǔ jī zài fū dàn) which means 'The hen is incubating the eggs.'

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