供养

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The verb 供养 (gōngyǎng) primarily means to provide financial or material support to someone, often family members or dependents. It can also refer to the religious act of offering food or necessities to monks or deities, especially in Buddhist contexts.

Common Contexts

  1. Family support: Often used when children support elderly parents or siblings.
  2. Religious offerings: Used in temples where devotees provide for monks or perform rituals.

Collocations and Patterns

These collocations emphasize the act of sustaining someone’s livelihood or spiritual needs.

Nuances

Using 供养 implies a sense of responsibility and care, often with a formal or respectful tone. It is more formal than simply "" (give money) and often implies ongoing support rather than a one-time gift.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 供养 with (yǎng) alone, which means to raise or nurture but lacks the explicit meaning of providing or supplying. 供养 stresses the provision aspect, often financial or material.

Example Sentences

He supports his elderly parents financially every month.

People in the temple provide for the monks to maintain the temple's

He decided to use his savings to support his younger brother's education.