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March 24, 2026
育yù(yu4)
The character 育 (yù) primarily means 'to educate' or 'to raise.' It is commonly used in contexts related to child-rearing, education, and nurturing growth. The nuance often implies a sense of care and development, whether in an academic sense or in terms of personal growth.
Strokes8Radical⺼Frequency#10291DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, education and child-rearing are highly valued, often seen as a family's duty and a societal expectation. The concept of 育 is tied to the importance placed on academic success and moral development.
Memory Tip
Imagine a nurturing figure, like a parent or teacher, holding a baby (育) while also planting seeds (the radical 肉 suggests nurturing), symbolizing both raising a child and cultivating knowledge. The sound 'yù' can remind you of 'you,' as in 'you raise a child.'
Meanings of 育
yù(yu4)
1to have children
2to raise or bring up
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 育
育Simplified
8Strokes
⺼Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10291Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 育
Podcast: 育
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AI Study Notes for 育
Quick Contrast
教 (jiào) - use 育 (yù) when emphasizing nurturing or personal growth, while 教 (jiào) focuses more on teaching or imparting knowledge.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a nurturing figure, like a parent or teacher, holding a baby (育) while also planting seeds (the radical 肉 suggests nurturing), symbolizing both raising a child and cultivating knowledge. The sound 'yù' can remind you of 'you,' as in 'you raise a child.'
Usage Notes
While 育 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it is more commonly found in educational settings or discussions about family. Be careful not to confuse 育 with similar-sounding characters; the tone is important, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Although 育 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects well with terms related to education and upbringing found in HSK 3 and 4. Focus on its usage in phrases about learning and development to enhance vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, education and child-rearing are highly valued, often seen as a family's duty and a societal expectation. The concept of 育 is tied to the importance placed on academic success and moral development.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 育 with similar characters like 预 (yù, to prepare) or 教 (jiào, to teach). For example, saying '我育孩子' (I educate children) is correct, but saying '我预孩子' (I prepare children) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 育
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Grammar Patterns of 育
育 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 4 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.
Cells divide and renew as part of the human growth process.
Cultural Notes for 育
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, education is highly valued. The character 育 embodies the idea of nurturing, similar to how parents nurture their children. This reflects the importance of familial relationships in Chinese society.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, education and child-rearing are highly valued, often seen as a family's duty and a societal expectation. The concept of 育 is tied to the importance placed on academic success and moral development.
Word Family of 育
Compounds11
撤che4to remove
唷y5o1final particle
堉
淯Yu4a river in Henan province
焴
俼
棛
蘛
蜟
逳
錥
Words Containing This Character20
教育jiàoyùto educate
体育tǐyùsports體育
体育馆tǐyùguǎngym體育館
发育fāyùto develop發育
育yùto educate
生育shēngyùto bear
培育péiyùto train
体育场tǐyùchǎngstadium體育場
养育to rear養育
教育部jiàoyùbùMinistry of Education
孕育yùnyùto be pregnant
计划生育family planning計劃生育
体育运动sports體育運動
义务教育compulsory education義務教育
生儿育女to bear and raise children生兒育女
职业教育vocational training職業教育
高等教育higher education
德育moral education
抚育to nurture撫育
育种to breed育種
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 撤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 育
Yes, 育 (yù) is often related to characters that denote care and development, such as 教 (jiào), which means to teach. These characters collectively emphasize the themes of nurturing and guiding individuals through growth and learning.
You can use 育 (yù) in sentences related to education or upbringing. For example, '我希望能好好育儿' (I hope to raise my children well) or '教育是育人的重要方式' (Education is an important way to nurture people). This character emphasizes the importance of care and guidance.
Common phrases that include 育 (yù) are '教育' (jiàoyù), meaning education, and '育儿' (yù'ér), meaning raising children. These phrases highlight the character's connection to both education and child-rearing.
育 (yù) refers to the concepts of raising, bringing up, and educating. It can be used in contexts related to child-rearing as well as broader educational settings. For example, it is often seen in phrases related to nurturing and development.
育 focuses more on nurturing and raising, while 教 emphasizes teaching and instruction.
Yes, 育 can refer to raising animals as well, though it is more commonly associated with children.
Yes, 育 is often used in formal contexts, especially in education-related discussions.
