养成 yǎngchéng cultivate
cultivate; acquire; to form
How to remember 养成: 养 to raise + 成 to become = cultivate.
Characters
How it is used
- A verb meaning to develop/form a habit over time - 养成好习惯 (yǎngchéng hǎo xíguàn) form a good habit, almost always paired with 习惯.
- 养 alone means "to raise/nurture" (养狗 raise a dog, 养育 to raise/nurture children), and 养成 extends that sense to abstract habits and character traits.
- Common in advice and self-improvement contexts - 从小养成 (cóng xiǎo yǎngchéng) form from a young age.
Example sentences
- 你们该养成使用字典的习惯。 Nǐmen gāi yǎngchéng shǐyòng zìdiǎn de xíguàn.You should try to form the habit of using your dictionaries.
- 别养成抽烟的习惯 Bié yǎngchéng chōuyān de xíguàn.Don’t get into the habit of smoking.
- 坏习惯一旦被养成，便不能简单地改正。 Huàixíguàn yídàn bèi yǎngchéng, biàn bùnéng jiǎndān de gǎizhèng.Once you've formed a bad habit, you can't get rid of it easily.