Translation guide
The English word 'feeding' covers several distinct situations: giving food to people or animals, the act of eating (especially for animals or infants), supplying material into a machine, and specialized uses like breastfeeding or tube feeding. Japanese uses different words depending on who is being fed, the relationship, and the context.
The act of providing food to another person, often involving direct help with eating.
Common term in caregiving contexts for assisting someone with eating. Used for elderly care, hospital settings, or disability support.
I volunteer with feeding assistance at the hospital.
The most direct and common way to say 'feed someone' in daily conversation. Used for feeding children, pets, or anyone who needs help.
Feed the baby solid food.
Technical term for feeding, used in animal husbandry, laboratory settings, or formal care plans. Not used in everyday conversation.
Providing meals to animals, whether pets, livestock, or wildlife.
Standard expression for feeding animals. 'やる' is casual but widely used for pets and animals. Can sound rough if used for people.
Referring to the process of consuming food, typically by animals or infants.
Biological/medical term for ingestion or feeding behavior. Used for animals and humans in scientific contexts.
The specific act of feeding a baby with breast milk.
The standard term for breastfeeding. Used in medical, parenting, and everyday contexts.
Inserting or providing something (paper, fuel, data) into a device for processing.
Providing nutrition through a tube directly into the stomach or veins.
Medical term for tube feeding. Covers nasogastric, gastrostomy, etc.
While 食べさせる can technically be used for animals, 餌をやる is much more natural. Using 食べさせる for pets sounds like you are forcing them to eat.
Both mean 'feed an animal'. やる is casual and can sound rough; あげる is more polite and caring. Use あげる when speaking politely or about someone else's pet.
I fed soup to my sick friend.
Feeding of livestock is twice a day.
Don't forget to feed the dog.
I fed the carp in the pond.
A slightly more polite version of '餌をやる'. 'あげる' implies giving with a sense of care or respect, often used for pets.
I fed the cat.
Technical term for feeding animals, especially in farming or scientific contexts.
The poultry farm uses automatic feeders.
Eating disorders are a serious problem.
General nominalization meaning 'eating'. Can be used for animals or babies, but less specific than 'feeding'.
Watch over the baby's feeding.
Specifically refers to suckling or milk feeding in mammals. Used for breastfeeding or bottle-feeding infants.
Feed with a baby bottle.
A balanced diet is important while breastfeeding.
Colloquial phrase meaning 'to give breast milk'. Softer and more personal than 授乳.
It's time to breastfeed the baby.
Broader term for milk feeding, including bottle-feeding. Often used in compounds like 哺乳瓶 (baby bottle).
Feeding intervals are every three hours.
General term for supply or feeding of materials, fuel, power, etc. Used in technical and everyday contexts.
Feed paper into the printer.
Means 'input' or 'throw in'. Used for feeding coins, materials, or data into a machine.
Feed coins into the vending machine.
Literally 'send into'. Used for feeding material continuously into a machine or process.
Feed lumber into the sawmill.
There are patients who require tube feeding.
Descriptive phrase meaning 'send nutrition through a tube'. Easier to understand in non-medical conversation.
We are feeding through a tube.