哺 bǔ to chew
to chew; to feed
How to remember 哺: 口 mouth + 甫 seedling bed = to chew. With its tiny mouth already full, the hedgehog in Grandpa's seedling bed still finds plenty of lettuce to chew.
Component breakdown
哺 = 口 mouth + 甫 seedling bed
- 口 mouth
- 甫 seedling bed
With its tiny mouth already full, the hedgehog in Grandpa's seedling bed still finds plenty of lettuce to chew.
How it is used
- To feed young from the mouth/breast - 哺乳 (bǔrǔ) to breastfeed, 哺育 (bǔyù) to nurture/raise, 反哺 (fǎnbǔ) to repay one's parents (as fledglings feed their old).
- 哺乳动物 (bǔrǔ dòngwù) = mammals - literally 'breast-feeding animals'.
- Written/biological register; the image is nourishing offspring.