生育
せいいく · seiiku · JLPT N1 · noun
breeding
🌱 生 life + 育 raise/nurture = raising life: growth, development, breeding
育 also appears in 教育 (education) and 体育 (physical education). Both share the core idea of nurturing something until it develops.
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.