The Kanji: 哺 (Ho)
The kanji 哺 (read as ho) carries the core meaning of "to feed," "to nurture," or "to suckle." It is composed of the radical 口 (mouth) and 甫 (to spread), creating the vivid image of feeding by placing food or nourishment into a mouth. This character is intrinsically linked to the act of providing sustenance, especially in the context of nurturing the young.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 哺乳 (honyū)
Meaning: Breastfeeding; nursing; suckling.
Example Sentence: 哺乳瓶で赤ちゃんにミルクをあげる。
(Honyūbin de akachan ni miruku o ageru.)
"I feed the baby milk with a feeding bottle."
2. 哺乳類 (honyūrui)
Meaning: Mammals (the class of animals characterized by feeding their young with milk).
Example Sentence: 人間は哺乳類に属します。
(Ningen wa honyūrui ni zokushimasu.)
"Humans belong to the mammal class."
3. 哺育 (hoiku)
Meaning: Nurturing; rearing (especially of infants or young animals).
Example Sentence: 親鳥がひなを哺育する。
(Oyadori ga hina o hoiku suru.)
"The parent bird nurtures its chicks."
In summary, 哺 is a specialized kanji centered on the act of feeding and nurturing. Its most common and important usages are in the words 哺乳類 (mammals) and 哺乳瓶 (baby bottle), making it essential vocabulary in biological and childcare contexts.