孳 (zī): to multiply

Meanings

1 to multiply
2 to breed
3 to propagate

Characters

孳

zī

to breed; multiply

Examples

夏天蚊子孳生很快。

Xiàtiān wénzi zīshēng hěn kuài.

Mosquitoes multiply quickly in summer.

积水容易孳生细菌。

Jīshuǐ róngyì zīshēng xìjūn.

Standing water easily breeds bacteria.

Tips

usage

孳 almost always appears in the compound 孳生 (zīshēng, to breed/multiply) in modern Chinese — used for pests, bacteria, and (figuratively) social ills. Standalone use is classical and rare. Don't confuse with 滋 (zī, to nourish), which looks similar.