圈养 (juàn yǎng) — to raise (livestock) in an enclosed pen or confined space; to feed and confine (as opposed to free-range)

Definition

To raise livestock in pens or enclosed spaces (圈养), as opposed to 放养 (free-range). Often carries a negative connotation about animal welfare or lower meat quality.

verb
to raise (livestock) in an enclosed pen or confined spaceto feed and confine (as opposed to free-range)

Examples

  • 圈养。
    Xiàn zài hěn duō dà xíng nóng chǎng juàn yǎng jǐ wàn zhī jī.
    Many large farms now raise tens of thousands of chickens in pens.
  • 圈养，。
    juàn yǎng De zhū cháng dé kuài, dàn ròu zhì bù rú fàng yǎng de.
    Pigs raised in pens grow fast, but their meat quality isn't as good as free-range ones.
  • 圈养。
    Zhè zhǒng juàn yǎng fāng shì róng yì yǐn fā dòng wù jí bìng.
    This kind of confined rearing method easily triggers animal diseases.

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.

圈quānpen
养yǎngraise

圈养 means to 养 'raise' animals in a 圈 'pen', not 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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
卷
卷juàn圈quān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Open 圈 →

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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