‘圈养’ (juàn yǎng) literally combines ‘圈’ (juàn), meaning ‘enclosure’ or ‘pen’, and ‘养’ (yǎng), meaning ‘to raise’ or ‘to rear’. Together, it describes the practice of keeping animals in confined, controlled environments—such as zoos, farms, or aquariums—rather than allowing them to live freely in the wild. This term emphasizes human control over habitat, diet, and breeding, and is often used in discussions about animal welfare, conservation, and agriculture.

The word carries a neutral-to-slightly-negative connotation depending on context: it may simply denote standard livestock farming, but in ecological or ethical discourse, it frequently contrasts with ‘野生’ (wild) and raises questions about natural behavior, stress, and biodiversity loss. It applies primarily to non-human animals—not people—and is rarely used metaphorically. You’ll commonly see it in news reports on endangered species programs, wildlife policy, or sustainable farming debates.