培 (péi) — to bank up with earth (around plants); to cultivate, nurture, foster, train
Definition
培 (péi) is a formal written verb almost always paired with 养, 育, or 训 (e.g. 培养, 培训) to mean 'cultivate, train, develop' people or talent. Alone it means 'bank up with earth around plants.'
verb
to bank up with earth (around plants)to cultivatenurturefostertrain
Examples
- 培。Nóng mín zài gěi zhuāng jia péi tǔ.Farmers are banking up soil around the crops.
- 。Xué xiào zhì lì yú péi yǎng rén cái.The school is committed to nurturing talent.
- 。Tā yòng le wǔ nián shí jiān péi yù xīn pǐn zhǒng.He spent five years cultivating new varieties.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu培péi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
培 is made from 土 (earth) and 咅, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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