Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
生き延びる (いきのびる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
survive ; live through ; pull through
Used for surviving a dangerous situation, disaster, or life-threatening condition. Can also mean living a long life, but the survival nuance is primary.
そう
を
生い
き
延の
び
た
人ひと
々びと
の
話はなし
を
聞き
い
た
。
I heard stories from people who lived through the war.
Written forms 生い き 延の びる Usage 70%
Standard kanji spelling, common in news and writing.
生い きのびる Usage 30%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; the kanji spelling 生き延びる is preferred.
Etymology Compound of 生き (iki, 'living') + 延びる (nobiru, 'to extend, prolong'). The literal sense is 'to extend one's life'.
