生产
shēngchǎn · HSK 3
produce
🏭 生 = give birth/produce + 产 = produce/output
生 means to give birth or generate; 产 means to produce or yield. Together 生产 literally doubles down on production — to manufacture or bring forth goods. Also used for childbirth in medical contexts.
生 — sprout 屮 above earth 土
Originally a pictograph showing a young plant sprouting from the ground, with 屮 (a sprout) above 土 (earth). The core meaning is 'to be born, to grow, to live,' which extends to 'raw, unripe, unfamiliar.' The modern form has simplified the sprout shape but preserves the image of new growth emerging from soil.
产 — 产 = 立 (stand) + 厂 (cliff/factory)
Originally written 產, depicting birth or production, with 生 (to be born/grow) as the semantic element and 彥 reduced as phonetic. The simplified form 产 keeps the top portion only. Its core meaning shifted from 'giving birth' to broader senses of 'produce, output, property.'