養 — “nurture / raise” in Japanese

Grade 4よう, やしな

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“nurture / raise” in Japanese is 養, read you, yashina (よう, やしな). It is a Grade 4 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 4 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 栄養 (nutrition).

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What does 養 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	養
Meaning	nurture / raise
Readings	よう, やしな
Grade	Grade 4 (Upper)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	栄養 (nutrition)

How to read 養

養 is read you (よう) or yashina (やしな) depending on the word.

Words with 養

栄養えいよう
供養くよう
栄養士えいようし
養蚕

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Kanji read the same way as 養

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

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Updated: 2026-08-28