生活

• Pinyin: shēng huó
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = pictograph of a plant sprouting from the ground; 活 = 氵 (water) + 舌 (tongue) — water gives life

Meaning

Life; to live. Refers to daily life, livelihood, or the act of living and going about one's daily routine.

As a noun, 生活 refers to daily life, living conditions, or lifestyle. As a verb, it means 'to live' in the sense of daily existence (not 'to reside,' which is 住). Extremely common in both spoken and written Chinese, covering everything from 生活习惯 (living habits) to 生活水平 (standard of living).

Examples

1. 我在北京的生活很开心。 My life in Beijing is very happy.
2. 他一个人在国外生活了两年。 He lived abroad by himself for two years.
3. 健康的生活需要多运动。 A healthy life requires more exercise.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, personal, social

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 你的大学生活怎么样？(How is your university life?)
• 我们在这里生活得很好。(We live well here.)

Don't Say

• 我生活在三楼。(Don't use 生活 for physical location of residence — use 住. Say 我住在三楼. 生活 is about the broader experience of living.)

Origin & History

Compound of 生 (to be born, to live) and 活 (to live, alive), together meaning 'to live and be alive' — the full experience of daily existence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal