放养 (fáng yǎng) — to raise (livestock) in a free-range or pasture system; to stock (a body of water) with fish for natural growth

Definition

Verb for raising animals or stocking fish in a natural, open environment (free-range livestock, fish released into a lake to grow) — the key idea is letting them grow freely rather than in pens or tanks.

verb
to raise (livestock) in a free-range or pasture systemto stock (a body of water) with fish for natural growth

Examples

  • 放养，。
    Zhè xiē jī dōu shì fáng yǎng de, ròu zhì tè bié hǎo.
    These chickens are all free-range, so the meat quality is especially good.
  • 放养。
    Tā men zài zhè ge hú lǐ fáng yǎng le hěn duō yú miáo.
    They stocked a lot of fish fry in this lake.
  • 放养。
    Nóng cūn de yáng qún tōng cháng zài shān shàng fáng yǎng.
    Rural flocks of sheep are usually pastured on the mountains.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

放fàngrelease
养yǎngraise

放 means release and 养 means raise, so the idea is raising animals or fish by letting them roam.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 養; 养 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 養 uses 羊 as a sound part and 食 as a meaning part.

Open 养 →

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