life, genuine, birth
生 centers on the idea of something coming into existence or being in its natural, unprocessed state: life, birth, and genuine quality. The meanings flow from the core concept of raw vitality and authenticity.
生 is a pictograph of a plant sprouting from the ground, symbolizing life, growth, and birth. The modern form retains the basic shape of a shoot emerging from the earth.
Picture a young green sprout pushing up through the soil: 生 is that fresh, genuine life being born.
For セイ, imagine a sprout saying 'say' hello to the world as it is born: 'say' -> セイ, and the new life speaks its first word.
to bear fruit
raw; uncooked; fresh
teacher; instructor; master
to live; to exist
life; living
(one's) life
birth; birthplace
occurrence; incidence; outbreak; birth (e.g. of civilization)
birth (of a person); nativity
student (esp. a university student)
production; manufacture
pupil; student; schoolchild
restoration to life; coming to life again; resuscitation; regeneration
life; existence
elementary school student; primary school student; grade school student
living thing; organism; creature; life
whole life; a lifetime; all through life
senior high school student
junior high school student; middle school pupil
to grow; to spring up; to sprout
to be born
to produce; to yield; to cause
university student; college student
to make (the best) use of; to put to good use; to leverage (skills, attributes, experience, etc.); to capitalise on (experience, etc.)
hygiene; sanitation; cleanliness; health
living thing; living creature; animal; life
existence; being; life; survival
life; lifetime; career
to give birth; to bear (child); to lay (eggs)
physiology
welfare; public welfare; social welfare
creation; generation; formation; derivation
very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can; with all one's might; for dear life; eagerly; desperately
classmate
wild
to produce; to yield; to cause
way of life; how to live
cloth; fabric; material; texture
overseas student; exchange student
to create; to bring forth; to produce
birth
parasitism
organism; living body
inhabiting; living
ecology; life and habits (of an animal)
derivation
birth (esp. of a famous person); nativity
longevity; long life
graduate; alumnus; alumna
to survive
survival
rebirth; new birth; nascent
while alive; during one's lifetime
ginger (Zingiber officinale)
parasite
third month of the lunar calendar
impertinent; saucy; cheeky; impudent; audacious; cocky; pert; brash
reproduction
lawn; grass
to grow; to cultivate
rehabilitation; remaking one's life; starting life anew
eating habits; diet; dietary pattern
damn it; damn; son of a bitch; for Christ's sake
private life
birth date; date of birth; DOB
vivid (memory, description, etc.); fresh; graphic; raw; true-to-life; first-hand (experience)
microbe; germ
birth; giving birth
post-natal; since birth
coexistence; living together
life and death; life or death
returning alive; surviving
honor student; honours student; model student; prize pupil
livelihood; living
by nature; by birth; naturally; natural; innate
elementary and middle school pupils
birth and growth; giving birth and raising; development; breeding
unfortunately; sorry, but ...
reason for living; something one lives for; purpose in life; raison d'être; ikigai
bud; sprout
resurrection; resuscitation; coming back to life
in a lively way; vividly; freshly; animatedly; actively; energetically
public welfare; the people's livelihood
newborn baby
graduate student; postgraduate student
growth; development
physiology
to arrange (flowers); to plant
half a lifetime; half one's life; one's life so far
passing on to the next life
life insurance
fresh
cram school student; student of a private-tutoring school
being brought to a standstill; being stranded; getting stuck; stalling; deadlock
to revive; to come to oneself; to be restored to life
smelling of fish; fishy; smelling of blood; bloody
biochemistry
lukewarm; tepid
ikebana; Japanese art of flower arrangement
(former) Ministry of Health and Welfare
burying alive
primeval; primordial; primitive; pristine
boarder; boarding student
growth (of a plant)
house where one was born
revival from the brink of death; recovering from a hopeless situation; resuscitation; revitalization
biological parent
twins
native-born; trueborn
sketching; drawing from nature; portrayal; description
raw silk thread
hedge
pupil; disciple; follower
first-year student; first-year pupil
birthday
happy birthday
one's view of life; attitude toward life; outlook
Corporate Reorganization Act
public health; public hygiene; sanitation
welfare pension
gross national product; GNP
female high school student
student days
nth-year student; nth-year pupil
antibiotic
new life; fresh start; new routine
everyday life; daily life
dental hygienist
inanimate object
living; being alive
to be born and raised (in); to be born and brought up; to be born and bred
live broadcast (radio, TV); live coverage
co-op; (consumers') cooperative
life insurance
vitality; (one's) life force
habitat; home (e.g. of the tiger)
ecology
ecosystem
living expenses
lifelong education; continuing education; further education
biology
productivity
producer; grower; maker; manufacturer
employee welfare; employee benefits; fringe benefits
hygienic; sanitary
birthday