栽培 (zāi péi) — to cultivate, to grow (plants, crops); to train… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

栽培 covers both senses: growing plants and nurturing talent. For people, it focuses on careful, long-term shaping — stronger than 培养, more hands-on than 培训.

verb

to cultivateto grow (plants, crops)to trainto educateto develop (talent, people)

Examples

栽培。
Nóng mín zài tián lǐ zāi péi shuǐ dào.
Farmers grow rice in the fields.
栽培。
Zhè wèi jiào shòu xī xīn zāi péi qīng nián xué zhě.
This professor diligently trains young scholars.
栽培。
Gǎn xiè lǎo shī duō nián lái de zāi péi.
Thank you for the years of guidance and training.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

栽 (to plant) and 培 (to tend) combine into the idea of raising a plant or person.

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.

木𢦏栽

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢦏

𢦏𢦏栽zāi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栽 is made from 木 and 𢦏: 木 is the wood/tree part, and 𢦏 points to the sound.

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

土咅培

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

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

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Agriculture & Farming School & Education

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