Word
産む
Meaning in Englishgive birth, produce, generate
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 産む mean? It means to give birth or bear offspring; used for humans and animals; it can also imply to yield or produce something.
Main meanings
- Figurative use to yield or generate results, ideas, or benefits.
- Common collocations with 子を to indicate offspring in humans and animals; usage shifts with formality from casual 産む to formal 出産する.
How to use it
Used across casual and formal contexts to describe the act of giving birth; for humans and animals, with 子を産む and 動物が子を産む as common phrases; formal or clinical contexts prefer 出産する; examples in Japanese: 子どもを産む, 動物が子を産む, 出産は大変だ
Variants and close terms
- 生む (umu) - to give birth, alternative kanji with same meaning
- 出産する (shussan suru) - to give birth, formal or clinical usage
Composition
- 産: birth, production; used in compounds like 産業, 産物
- む: verb suffix that attaches to a noun/root to form the verb, indicating the act of producing or giving birth
Etymology
Native Japanese verb (kun'yomi) built from the noun 産 meaning birth or production, with the verb ending む. No loanword history; cognate with 生む in meaning and usage.
Word class
verb (五段)
Related words by kanji and components
N1
国産
kokusan
domestic products
N1
産休
sankyuu
maternity leave
N1
産後
sango
postpartum, after childbirth
N1
産出
sanshutsu
yield, produce
N1
産婦人科
sanfujinka
maternity and gynecology department
N1
産物
sambutsu
product, result, fruit
N1
特産
tokusan
specialty, special product
N1
お産
osan
(giving) birth
N1
資産
shisan
property, fortune, assets