Meaning and Usage
育てる (そだてる) primarily means "to raise" or "to bring up" and is used for raising children, animals, or plants. It is a transitive verb, so it always takes a direct object.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 育てる in family contexts when talking about raising children, but it is also frequently used in professional or educational settings to talk about nurturing talent or skills. Additionally, it is used in gardening or farming contexts to describe growing plants.
Collocations and Patterns
- 子どもを育てる: to raise children, often implying care and education.
- 人材を育てる: to develop or nurture human resources or talent.
- 植物を育てる: to grow plants.
Register and Nuance
育てる is a neutral, commonly used verb suitable for both casual and formal situations. When talking about raising children, it implies care, attention, and responsibility. When used for talent or plants, it emphasizes growth and development.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 育てる with 養う (やしなう), which also means "to support" or "to raise" but often implies financial support or maintenance. 育てる focuses more on the active process of raising or nurturing.