滋养 (zī yǎng) — to nourish; to nurture (health, growth, etc.) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A more formal/literary verb for 'to nourish' (body, skin, mind) — used for gradual, gentle nurturing rather than 补充 (to replenish) or 养育 (to raise a person).

verb

to nourishto nurture (health, growth, etc.)

Examples

滋养。
Zhè zhǒng shí wù néng zī yǎng shēn tǐ.
This kind of food can nourish the body.
滋养。
Měi tiān hē niú nǎi kě yǐ zī yǎng pí fū.
Drinking milk every day can nourish the skin.
滋养。
Dú shū kě yǐ zī yǎng xīn líng.
Reading can nourish the soul.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

滋zīnourish

养yǎngnurture

滋 and 养 both carry the idea of nourishing, together meaning to nourish or nurture.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

茲

茲zī滋zī

Same sound today

滋 pairs 水 (water) with 茲, which gives it its sound.

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.

羊羊yángsheep
食食shíto feed

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

Appears in

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