领养 lǐngyǎng to adopt (a child, pet etc)
How to remember 领养: 领 neck + 养 to raise = to adopt (a child, pet etc).
Characters
How it is used
- To adopt (a child or pet) - 他们领养了一个孩子 (tāmen lǐngyǎng le yí ge háizi) they adopted a child.
- The everyday word for taking in and raising someone/something as one's own.
- Contrast 收养 (shōuyǎng, the more formal/legal term for adoption) - 领养 is common and slightly less legalistic, widely used for pets too.
Example sentences
- 如果你不能有孩子，你总能领养。 Rúguǒ nǐ bùnéng yǒu háizi, nǐ zǒngnéng lǐngyǎng.If you can't have children, you could always adopt.