孵 (fū) - To incubate & to hatch

孵Tone 1

fū ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

孵 · fū

To incubate;

to hatch;

to brood;

to sit on eggs for the purpose of hatching young.

To incubateto hatchto brood

Usage highlights

Incubate eggsHatchIncubatorBroodingHatch a planArtificial incubation

Synonyms

  • 孵化— to hatch; incubation
  • 孵育— to incubate and nurture

Antonyms

  • 破坏— to destroy (antithetical to nurturing process)
  • 抛弃— to abandon (opposite of caring for eggs)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The hen is incubating her eggs (母鸡在孵蛋).
  • We need an incubator for these eggs (我们需要一个孵化器).
  • The idea was hatched after a long discussion (这个想法是经过长时间讨论后孵化出来的).
  • The bird brooded over its nest (鸟在巢中孵卵).

Collocations

  • Incubate eggs(孵蛋)
  • Hatch(孵化)
  • Incubator(孵化器)
  • Brooding(孵卵)
  • Hatch a plan(孵化计划)
  • Artificial incubation(人工孵化)

Idioms

  • To hatch a sinister plot(孵奸计)
  • To brood over a scheme(孵阴谋)
  • To patiently wait for results(耐心孵化)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 孵 depicts a bird spreading its wings over eggs, representing the natural process of incubation.
  • In Chinese culture, incubation symbolizes patience, nurturing, and the beginning of new life or ideas.
  • The concept extends metaphorically to the careful development of plans or projects.

FAQ