(huàn) - To rear, raise, or keep (domestic animals) & to feed

Tone 4

huàn | 13 strokes | radical:

· huàn

To rear, raise, or keep (domestic animals);

to feed;

to provide for;

to nurture.

To rear, raise, or keep (domestic animals)to feedto provide for

Usage highlights

To rear animalsTo keep livestockTo feed and care forPens for rearingDomesticated animalsTo nurture followers

Synonyms

  • to raise, to rear, to support
  • to feed, to raise (animals)
  • to herd, to pasture

Antonyms

  • wild, undomesticated
  • to abandon, to discard
  • 饿to starve

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He raises pigs (豢养).
  • They feed the livestock (豢养牲畜).
  • The animals are kept in pens (圈豢).
  • A life of luxury and indulgence (豢养之乐).

Collocations

  • To rear animals(豢养)
  • To keep livestock(豢养牲畜)
  • To feed and care for(豢养照料)
  • Pens for rearing(圈豢)
  • Domesticated animals(豢养之兽)
  • To nurture followers(豢养门客)

Idioms

  • To feed tigers invites calamity(养虎遗患 / 豢虎遗患)
  • To rear wolves in one's house(养狼贻患 / 豢狼贻患)
  • To keep a parasite(豢养寄生虫)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted the hand feeding a pig, representing domestication and animal husbandry.
  • Extended metaphorically to mean providing for or nurturing people, sometimes with a negative connotation of indulgence or creating dependency.
  • In classical texts, used to describe the relationship between rulers and their retainers or supporters.

FAQ