Skip to content
Kotomora

育

bring up, grow up, raise, rear

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 500Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • イク

Kun'yomi

  • そだ.つ
  • そだ.ち
  • そだ.てる
  • はぐく.む

Nanori

  • やす

Meaning

育 centers on nurturing growth: bringing up a child, raising animals, or fostering development. The idea covers both physical rearing and the gradual process of growing up.

Most common words using 育

24 of 427
  • 教育きょういく
    N4

    education; schooling; training; instruction; teaching; upbringing

  • 育成いくせい
    N1

    rearing; training; nurture; cultivation; promotion

  • 育つそだつ
    N3

    to be raised (e.g. child); to be brought up; to grow (up)

  • 体育たいいく
    N3

    physical education; PE; gym (class)

  • 保育ほいく
    N1

    nurturing; rearing; childcare; day care

  • 保育園ほいくえん
    N1

    nursery school; day nursery; day care center

  • 育てるそだてる
    N4

    to raise; to rear; to bring up

  • 子育てこそだて
    N3

    child rearing; child raising; raising children; parenting

  • 育ちそだち
    N2

    growth; breeding

  • 飼育しいく
    N2

    breeding; raising; rearing; keeping

  • 育児いくじ
    N2

    childcare; child-rearing; nursing; upbringing

  • 体育館たいいくかん
    N3

    gymnasium

  • 養育よういく

    bringing up; rearing; upbringing

  • 生育せいいく
    N1

    birth and growth; giving birth and raising; development; breeding

  • 育むはぐくむ
    N1

    to raise; to bring up; to rear

  • 発育はついく
    N1

    (physical) growth; development

  • 性教育せいきょういく

    sex education

  • 育英いくえい

    education of gifted young people; providing financial support to gifted students

  • 教育委員会きょういくいいんかい

    Board of Education

  • 保育所ほいくしょ
    N2

    nursery school; day care center; day nursery

  • 社会教育しゃかいきょういく

    social education

  • 義務教育ぎむきょういく

    compulsory education

  • 教育的きょういくてき

    educational; instructive

  • 教育者きょういくしゃ

    educator; teacher; educationalist

Explore all words using 育 →

Study

Etymology

育 is thought to combine 子 (child) inverted and 肉 (flesh/body), suggesting a child being nurtured or growing in the body. The modern form has 亠 and 厶 above 月, which are simplified from the older components.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 亠 and 厶 look like a simplified child, and 月 (flesh) below suggests a body. Picture a child growing within the body, being brought up and raised.

Reading mnemonic

For イク, imagine an eager child growing up: 'eek!' they squeal with excitement as they learn new things. 'Eek' cues イク and fits the idea of raising a lively child.