培养
péiyǎng · HSK 4
to cultivate; to breed
🌱 培 (cultivate, earth radical) + 养 (raise/nurture) = foster, cultivate
培 has the 土 earth radical — it literally means to bank up soil around a plant. 养 means to raise or nurture (used for raising kids, pets, habits). Together: cultivate someone or something over time.
养 — sheep 羊 (top) + 八 over 艮-like base; simplified from 養 (食 + 羊)
The traditional form 養 combined 食 'food' with 羊 'sheep' as the phonetic, depicting the act of feeding sheep and, by extension, raising or nourishing living things. The simplified form 养 keeps 羊 on top but drops the 食 component. From 'feed' the meaning broadened to rear, support, and cultivate.