JLPT N5 · Japanese kanji

生

生 — life

Reading
セイ・ショウ・い.きる・い.かす・い.ける・う.まれる・うま.れる・う.まれ・うまれ・う.む・お.う・は.える・は.やす・き・なま・なま\~・な.る・な.す・む.す・\~う
Meaning
life; genuine; birth
JLPT level
N5
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

生 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N5 level. Its primary reading is セイ・ショウ・い.きる・い.かす・い.ける・う.まれる・うま.れる・う.まれ・うまれ・う.む・お.う・は.える・は.やす・き・なま・なま\~・な.る・な.す・む.す・\~う and it means life; genuine; birth. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.

生 appears in everyday japanese words such as 生 (pure), 生 (draft) and 再生 (playback).

Japanese words containing 生

Frequently asked questions

What does 生 mean in Japanese?

生 means life; genuine; birth in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N5 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 生 read?

生 is read セイ・ショウ・い.きる・い.かす・い.ける・う.まれる・うま.れる・う.まれ・うまれ・う.む・お.う・は.える・は.やす・き・なま・なま\~・な.る・な.す・む.す・\~う. Reading it inside real words — 生 and 生 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 生 — is it JLPT N5?

Yes. 生 is on the official JLPT N5 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.

How do you use 生 in a word?

A common word containing 生 is 生 (き) — "pure". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 生 effectively?

Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 生 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.

More JLPT N5 kanji

Learn every JLPT kanji in context

InputDojo gives you the full JLPT N5–N1 kanji list — plus one-tap lookups in any real Japanese content. Free to start.

Start free