Japanese word

繁殖

Pronunciation

Romajihanshoku

Meaning

  • nounbreeding

Example

この魚は春に繁殖します。ko no sakana wa haru ni han shoku shi ma su

This fish breeds in spring.

Illustration for 繁殖 (breeding)

More examples

研究者は水温を調整して、魚の繁殖を促します。ken kyū sha wa sui on o chō sei shi te sakana no han shoku o unaga shi ma su

Researchers adjust the water temperature to promote fish breeding.

Core concept

Expresses the continuation of a species as living organisms produce new individuals.

Common phrases

  • 人工繁殖jin kō han shoku

    artificial breeding

  • 繁殖に成功するhan shoku ni sei kō su ru

    succeed in breeding

  • 繁殖を促すhan shoku o unaga su

    promote breeding

Similar words

生殖seishoku: The natural process in which living organisms produce offspring.
増殖zōshoku: The growth in the number of organisms or cells through reproduction.

Definition in Japanese

生物が子をつくって次の世代を生じ、個体数を増やすこと。sei butsu ga ko o tsu ku tte tsugi no se dai o shō ji ko tai sū o fu ya su ko to

Word origin

繁殖 (hanshoku) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 繁 (han, "abundant") and 殖 (shoku, "to multiply"), referring to living things becoming more numerous.

Usage tips

  • The English word breeding can refer to selective reproduction for desired traits, but 繁殖 (hanshoku) also covers ordinary reproduction without human control.

Other meanings

  • reproductionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 繁殖力hanshokuryokureproductive capacitynoun
  • 繁殖性hanshokuseifertilitynoun
  • 繁殖者hanshokushabreedernoun

Word lists with this word