養生

• 読み: ようじょう
• ローマ字: youjou
• 漢字の分解: 養 (you) — nurture, nourish, cultivate; 生 (jou) — life, living
• 発音: /joː.dʑoː/

意味

Recuperation; taking care of oneself; nurturing health. Resting and caring for one's body to recover from illness or maintain wellbeing.

A noun and suru-verb (養生する) with roots in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, where 養生 denoted a comprehensive approach to preserving life and health through balanced living. In modern usage it more narrowly refers to resting properly when ill. 養生訓 (Youjoukun), a famous Edo-period health manual by Kaibara Ekiken, popularised the concept. The phrase 養生しなさい is a common caring directive from older to younger.

例文

1. 風邪が長引いているので、無理をせず養生することにした。
2. 医師から十分な養生を取るよう指示を受け、二週間の休養を取った。
3. 術後は養生が大切で、無理な運動は回復を遅らせる。

使い方ガイド

場面: health, recovery, daily life, traditional medicine, convalescence

トーン: warm, caring

起源と歴史

Sino-Japanese compound: 養 (you) means to nurture, nourish, or cultivate, and 生 (jou/sei) means life or living. The concept derives from classical Chinese medicine philosophy, emphasising the cultivation and preservation of vital energy (気). Widely used in Japanese health culture since the Edo period.

文化的背景

時代: Classical-Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal