Meaning of 繁殖
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to breed
- to reproduce
- to propagate
How to use 繁殖
繁殖 is a verb used for animals, plants, and microorganisms, often in science, nature, or farming contexts. It can also be used as a noun-like subject, as in 繁殖能力 (fánzhí nénglì, reproductive ability). Example: 细菌在温暖的地方繁殖得很快。(Xìjūn zài wēnnuǎn de dìfang fánzhí de hěn kuài.) Bacteria multiply quickly in warm places.
繁 (fán) means numerous or abundant, as in 繁荣 (fánróng), and 殖 (zhí) means to grow or multiply, as in 养殖 (yǎngzhí). Put them together and living things grow into great numbers: they breed and reproduce.
Common mistake: Learners often write 殖 with the wrong left side or confuse it with 植 (zhí, to plant), which has 木 on the left; 殖 has 歹 on the left. Also, do not use 繁殖 for people having children in normal conversation, since it sounds biological and can come across as rude.
繁殖 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
繁 fán · complex · 17 strokes
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殖 zhí · to breed · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 繁殖.
| 繁荣 | fánróng | prosperous; booming |
| 频繁 | pínfán | frequently; often |
| 繁忙 | fánmáng | busy; bustling |
| 繁华 | fánhuá | flourishing; bustling |
| 繁重 | fánzhòng | heavy; burdensome |
| 养殖 | yǎngzhí | to raise; to breed (animals etc) |
| 繁体字 | fántǐzì | traditional Chinese character |
| 殖民地 | zhímíndì | colony |
| 殖民 | zhímín | colony; colonial |
| 生殖器 | shēngzhíqì | reproductive organ; genitals |
| 繁衍 | fányǎn | to multiply; to reproduce |
| 繁星 | fánxīng | many stars; a vast sky full of stars |
Questions about 繁殖
What does 繁殖 mean?
繁殖 (fánzhí) means "to breed; to reproduce" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 繁殖?
繁殖 is made of 2 characters: 繁 (17 strokes), 殖 (12 strokes). That is 29 strokes in total.
Is 繁殖 an HSK word?
Yes. 繁殖 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 繁殖 and 养殖?
繁殖 (fánzhí) describes living things reproducing on their own. 养殖 (yǎngzhí) means people raising animals or aquatic life, such as fish or shrimp farming. A fish farm practices 养殖, and the fish there 繁殖.
Can 繁殖 be used for people?
In biology or demographics it can describe human reproduction in a technical way. In everyday speech, people say 生孩子 (shēng háizi, to have children) or 生育 (shēngyù, to give birth) instead.