育はぐくむ

は

ぐ

く

む

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-mu), transitive verb

raise; bring up; rear

Used for raising children, animals, or plants with care and affection. Implies a nurturing, protective role over time.

彼かの女じょは三さん人にんの子こ供どもを愛あい情じょう深ぶかく育はぐくんだ。
She lovingly raised three children.

この地ち域いきでは昔むかしから蚕かいこを育はぐくんできた。

Silkworms have been raised in this region since old times.

2

godan verb (-mu), transitive verb

cultivate; foster; nurture

Used for abstract things like feelings, relationships, talents, or culture. Emphasizes gradual development through care and effort.

友ゆう情じょうを育はぐくむには時じ間かんがかかる。
It takes time to cultivate a friendship.
読どく書しょは想そう像ぞう力りょくを育はぐくむ。
Reading nurtures the imagination.

Written forms

育はぐくむUsage67%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
はぐくむUsage31%
育はぐくむUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not used in normal writing.

Kanji

育bring up, grow up, raise

Similar words

育そだてる
育てる is the general word for raising or bringing up, and can be used for children, animals, plants, and abstract things. 育む has a stronger nuance of affectionate, careful nurturing over time, and is often used in more literary or emotional contexts.
養やしなう
養う focuses on providing material support (food, money) to sustain life or develop something. 育む emphasizes emotional care and gradual cultivation rather than just physical sustenance.

Etymology

The kanji 育 means 'raise' or 'bring up'. The reading はぐくむ is of native Japanese origin; its exact derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to 羽 (は, 'wing') and 含む (ふくむ, 'to contain'), suggesting the image of a bird covering its young with its wings.