飼

Phono-semantic compound:

飠 (먹을 식) — semantic component, indicating food, eating, or nourishment.

司 (맡을 사) — phonetic component, providing the sound sì / sa and suggesting direction or administration.

Thus 飠 + 司 → 飼 — “to direct food toward another,” meaning to feed or care for by giving food.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「飼，養也。从食，司聲。」

“飼 means to nourish or raise; composed of 食 and phonetic 司.”

飼養 (사양) — to feed and raise; breeding or nourishment

飼料 (사료) — fodder; feed for livestock

飼主 (사주) — feeder or caretaker; owner who feeds animals

給飼 (급사) — to provide food; feeding provision

飼牛 (사우) — to raise cattle

Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典, vol. 1351):

「飼，養也，給食也。」

“飼 means to nourish, to give food.”

In Confucian and Daoist contexts, 飼 embodies the balance of care and discipline — to feed the body while nurturing the spirit.

From barns to moral philosophy, 飼 expresses the timeless act of sustaining life through mindful provision.

Book of Rites (禮記 · 內則):

「飼犬豕，敬之以時。」

“When feeding dogs and pigs, do so respectfully and at the proper time” — early ritual context showing 飼 as part of household duties.

Zhuangzi (莊子 · 養生主):

「養其形，飼其性。」

“Nourish the body, feed the nature” — metaphorical sense: to cultivate both physical and inner life.

Han Feizi (韓非子 · 外儲說右上):

「飼馬不以時，雖有芻粟，馬不肥。」

“If you feed the horse irregularly, though you have hay and grain, it will not grow fat” — emphasizes disciplined nurture.

These examples show both literal and moral uses of 飼 — feeding animals and nurturing discipline or virtue.