養う|やしなうyashinau[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto support; to maintain; to provide for
2. godan verb, transitive verbto bring up; to raise; to rear; to feed
3. godan verb, transitive verbto adopt (a child)
4. godan verb, transitive verbto cultivate (a habit, a quality, etc.); to develop; to build up; to foster
   我々われわれは精神せいしんを養やしなわなければならない。↗

   We need to nourish our spirit.
5. godan verb, transitive verbto recuperate (from injury, illness, etc.)

• Synonym扶養ふようNeutralNoun for supporting dependents, as in 「扶養家族」 and 「扶養控除」; mostly legal and tax contexts. 「養う」 works in speech and writing and also covers building up ability.
• Synonym培うつちかうNeutralTo cultivate, as in 「経験を培う」 or 「信頼を培う」; mostly for abstract abilities and qualities, not for supporting people.
• Related育てるそだてるNeutralThe most versatile word for raising things — 「子供を育てる」, 「花を育てる」 — with the focus on making them grow.
• Related育成いくせいNeutralNoun for developing talent, as in 「人材育成」; typical of education and business settings.
• Related育むはぐくむNeutralTo nurture or foster, as in 「愛を育む」 or 「自然が育む」; carries a tender, lyrical tone 「養う」 lacks.
• Related養殖ようしょくNeutralNoun for farming fish, shellfish or seaweed artificially, as in 「養殖のマグロ」; also used for silkworms and the like, but never for supporting people.
• Related養育よういくNeutralNoun for bringing up a child, as in 「養育費」; centres on raising the child and is rather formal.
• Related培養ばいようNeutralNoun for culturing bacteria or cells, as in 「細胞を培養する」; the standard term in biology.
• Related育て上げるそだてあげるNeutralTo raise a child through to adulthood or train someone to a high level, as in 「一流の職人に育て上げる」; stresses seeing the process through.
• Related涵養かんようWrittenWritten term for gradually cultivating qualities like virtue, as in 「道徳心を涵養する」; belongs to formal prose.
• Related扶育ふいくWrittenWritten word for supporting and raising; rare, and 「養育」 is what you would normally say.
• Related養い育てるやしないそだてるNeutralTo raise by combining provision and nurture, as in 「孤児を養い育てる」; covers both feeding and bringing up.
• Antonym殺すころすNeutralTo kill, as in 「虫を殺す」; the direct opposite of 「養う」, which sustains life.

Use 「養う」 for supporting a family, feeding animals or building up ability (「家族を養う」, 「体力を養う」). For raising children the everyday word is 「育てる」; tax and legal writing uses 「扶養」; abstract abilities take 「培う」. 「殺す」 is the opposite.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 生活せいかつの面倒めんどうを見みる。
2. 子供こどもや病人びょうにんの食事しょくじの世話せわをする。
3. 習慣しゅうかん・力ちからなどを作り上つくりあげる。
4. 療養りょうようする。養生ようじょうする。