生理

• Pinyin: shēng lǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = 土 + 屮 (life, living); 理 = 王 + 里 (principle, pattern)

Meaning

Physiology; the biological and bodily functions of a living organism.

Refers to the physical and biological processes of the body as opposed to psychological or social dimensions. 生理需求 (physiological needs) is well known from Maslow's hierarchy. 生理学 is the academic discipline of physiology. Contrasted with 心理 (psychology).

Examples

1. 睡眠是满足人体基本生理需求的重要方式之一。 Sleep is one of the key ways to meet the body’s basic physiological needs.
2. 青春期的生理变化常常给青少年带来困惑和心理压力。 Physiological changes during puberty often leave teenagers confused and under psychological pressure.
3. 运动员的训练计划须根据其个人的生理特点量身定制。 An athlete’s training plan must be tailored to their individual physiological characteristics.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, biology, psychology, education

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 该研究从生理与心理两个维度，全面分析了慢性压力对人体健康的影响。(This study comprehensively analyses the effects of chronic stress on human health from both physiological and psychological dimensions.)
• 学校应向学生提供科学的生理健康教育，帮助他们正确认识青春期的身体变化。(Schools should provide students with scientific physiological health education to help them correctly understand the bodily changes of adolescence.)

Don't Say

• 生理 interchangeably with 心理 — 生理 pertains to the body's biological functions while 心理 relates to the mind; mixing them causes confusion in academic or medical contexts

Origin & History

生 (life) + 理 (principle, order, pattern)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal