培 péi to cultivate
to cultivate; to farm
How to remember 培: 土 earth + 咅 spit = to cultivate. Grandpa kneels in the earth, stops to spit into his palms, and shows his grandson how to cultivate.
Component breakdown
培 = 土 earth + 咅 spit
- 土 earth
- 咅 spit
Grandpa kneels in the earth, stops to spit into his palms, and shows his grandson how to cultivate.
How it is used
- Bound character meaning "to cultivate/nurture", central to 培养 (péiyǎng) - to develop or foster (talent, habits, people): 培养兴趣 (péiyǎng xìngqù) - to cultivate an interest.
- 培训 (péixùn) refers to professional/skills training, and doubles as a noun: 培训班 (péixùnbān) - training class.
- 培育 (péiyù) and 栽培 (zāipéi) both extend the "cultivate" sense to plants, and figuratively to mentoring people.
- 培 rarely appears as a standalone verb - it needs one of these companions.