Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
育 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
育
yù
to have children
HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #10291, Medium
育
yù
to raise or bring up
HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #10291, Medium
育
yù
to educate
HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #10291, Medium
育
yù
to produce, to give birth to; to educate
HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #10291, Medium
yù(yu4)yu T4
1to have children
2to raise or bring up
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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#10291DifficultyMedium
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
By ear
Play it, then pick what 育 means.
About 育
育Simplified
8Strokes
⺼Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10291Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 育
Podcast: 育
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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.
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.
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
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 育, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 育 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 育?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 育 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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.
When to use 育
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.
育 or something close to it
教 (jiào) - use 育 (yù) when emphasizing nurturing or personal growth, while 教 (jiào) focuses more on teaching or imparting knowledge.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 育
育
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 育 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
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.
The college has few ways to assess the quality of education overall.
10
细胞不断地分裂更新，这是人体发育过程的一部分。
xìbāo búduàn dì fēnliè gēngxīn， zhè shì réntǐ fāyù guòchéng de yībùfen。
Cells divide and renew as part of the human growth process.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 育?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
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.
Word Family of 育
Compounds11
撤chèto remove
唷yōfinal particle
堉yù
淯yùa river in Henan province
焴yù
俼yù
棛yù
蘛yú
蜟yù
逳yù
錥yù
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yǎngyùto rear養育
教育部jiàoyùbùMinistry of Education
孕育yùnyùto be pregnant
计划生育jìhuàshēngyùfamily planning計劃生育
体育运动tǐyùyùndòngsports體育運動
义务教育yìwùjiàoyùcompulsory education義務教育
生儿育女shēng’éryùnǚto bear and raise children生兒育女
职业教育zhíyèjiàoyùvocational training職業教育
高等教育gāoděngjiàoyùhigher education
德育déyùmoral education
抚育fǔyùto nurture撫育
育种yùzhǒngto breed育種
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 育
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.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 育?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
