驯养 (xùn yǎng) — to domesticate; to raise and train (animals)

Definition

驯养 means to tame and raise wild animals so they become used to humans. The first character emphasizes taming (the 驯 part), setting it apart from simply 养 (to raise) a pet you already have.

verb
to domesticateto raise and train (animals)

Examples

  • 驯养。
    Rén lèi hěn zǎo jiù kāi shǐ xùn yǎng dòng wù le.
    Humans began domesticating animals very early.
  • 驯养。
    xùn yǎng Yì pǐ mǎ xū yào zú gòu de nài xīn hé jì qiǎo.
    Raising and training a horse requires enough patience and skill.
  • 驯养。
    Xǔ duō yě shēng dòng wù hěn nán bèi xùn yǎng.
    Many wild animals are difficult to domesticate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

驯xùntame
养yǎngraise

驯 means to tame and 养 means to raise, describing taming and raising animals.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馴; 驯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān馴xùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 馴 uses 馬 (horse) for the meaning and 川 for the sound; the simplified 驯 is a later shorthand.

Open 驯 →

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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