Definition

1. Verb (archaic):

   • To give birth to and bring up: To bear a child and subsequently provide the care and nourishment needed for its growth and development. This term emphasizes the dual roles of procreation and upbringing.

2. Adjective (biology):

   • Vegetative: Relating to the life processes of growth, nutrition, and maintenance in an organism, as opposed to reproductive functions. It often describes non-reproductive plant structures or the autonomic functions in animals.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Công ơn sinh dưỡng của cha mẹ thật to lớn. (The grace of parents who give birth to and bring up [their children] is immense.)
• Adjective:
  • Rễ và lá là những cơ quan sinh dưỡng chính của thực vật. (Roots and leaves are the main vegetative organs of plants.)
  • Hệ thần kinh sinh dưỡng điều khiển các chức năng tự động. (The vegetative nervous system controls automatic functions.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in modern contexts within scientific fields like botany and anatomy. Its verbal usage is considered archaic and is mostly found in classical literature or formal expressions referring to parental duty.

Variants and Related Words

• Sinh trưởng (v): to grow, to develop (often used for plants and organisms).
• Dinh dưỡng (n): nutrition.
• Nuôi dưỡng (v): to nurture, to foster.

Synonyms

• Verb: To procreate and rear; to bear and raise.
• Adjective: Autonomic (for nervous system); non-reproductive; growth-related.

Notes on Usage

• When used as a verb, "sinh dưỡng" is formal and carries a deep, respectful connotation, typically reserved for acknowledging parental sacrifice.
• As an adjective, it is a technical term. The phrase "cơ quan sinh dưỡng" (vegetative organs) is a standard biological term for parts of a plant like stems and roots that support growth but not reproduction.

verb

1. to give birth to and bring up

adj

1. vegetative