自然淘汰

• 読み: しぜんとうた
• ローマ字: shizentouta
• 漢字の分解: 自 (shi) — self; 然 (zen) — so, natural; 淘 (tou) — wash, sift; 汰 (ta) — eliminate excess
• 発音: /ɕi.zeɴ.toː.ta/

意味

Natural selection; the process by which the unfit are naturally eliminated.

A four-character compound (四字熟語) used as both a noun and する verb (自然淘汰される). Originally a biological term from Darwin's theory of evolution, it is also widely used metaphorically in business and social contexts to describe the elimination of weaker competitors or outdated practices. 淘汰 alone means 'elimination/weeding out.'

例文

1. 競争力のない企業は自然淘汰されていく。
2. ダーウィンの自然淘汰の理論は生物学の基礎だ。
3. 時代に合わない伝統は自然淘汰される運命にある。

使い方ガイド

場面: biology, business, social commentary

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Compound of 自然 (shizen, nature/natural) + 淘汰 (touta, selection/elimination). 淘 means 'to wash and sort' and 汰 means 'to eliminate excess,' together describing the winnowing process found in nature.

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal