弱肉強食

• 読み: じゃくにくきょうしょく
• ローマ字: jakuniku kyoushoku
• 漢字の分解: 弱 (jaku) — weak; 肉 (niku) — meat, flesh; 強 (kyou) — strong; 食 (shoku) — eat
• 発音: /dʑa.kɯ.ni.kɯ.kʲoː.ɕo.kɯ/

意味

The law of the jungle; survival of the fittest. The strong prey on the weak.

A four-character compound (四字熟語, yojijukugo) describing the principle that the strong dominate and consume the weak. Used both literally (nature/animal kingdom) and figuratively (business, politics, society). Despite its classical origins, it remains highly relevant in modern discourse about competitive environments, capitalism, and social Darwinism. Often used critically to describe an excessively competitive society.

例文

1. 自然界は弱肉強食の世界だ。
2. ビジネスの世界も弱肉強食だと言われている。
3. 弱肉強食の社会を変えるために福祉政策が必要だ。

使い方ガイド

場面: nature, business, social commentary

トーン: serious

起源と歴史

From classical Chinese: 弱 (jaku, weak) + 肉 (niku, meat/flesh) + 強 (kyou, strong) + 食 (shoku, eat). Literally 'the weak are meat for the strong to eat' — a vivid metaphor for the dominance of the powerful over the powerless.

文化的背景

時代: Ancient

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal