‘哺养’ is a compound verb meaning 'to feed and raise' or 'to bring up', emphasizing both nourishment and nurturing care over time. The first character 哺 (bǔ) means 'to feed'—especially with milk, often implying maternal or protective feeding—and the second character 养 (yǎng) means 'to raise', 'to nurture', or 'to rear'. Together, they convey a holistic, caring process of sustaining life and fostering growth, commonly used for infants, young animals, or vulnerable beings requiring long-term support.

This word carries a warm, tender connotation and is frequently found in contexts involving parenting, animal husbandry, conservation, or social welfare. It’s more formal and literary than everyday terms like 抚养 (fǔyǎng) or 养育 (yǎngyù), and it often appears in written descriptions, news reports about wildlife rescue, or official documents about child welfare. While it can be used for humans, it’s especially common when describing how mothers or caretakers sustain young mammals—including endangered species—through feeding and ongoing care.