命

• 読み: いのち
• ローマ字: inochi
• 漢字の分解: 命 (mei/myō/inochi) — life, command, fate
• 発音: /i.no.tɕi/

意味

Life; lifespan. The fundamental existence of a living being.

A noun with deep cultural resonance, referring to the life force of living beings. Used in powerful expressions like 命を守る (to protect life), 命がけ (risking one's life), and 命を落とす (to lose one's life). Distinguished from 生活 (daily life/lifestyle) and 人生 (life as in one's lifetime/life story). Carries emotional weight and appears frequently in proverbs, literature, and moral discussions.

例文

1. 地震のとき、まず命を守る行動をとろう。
2. この薬のおかげで多くの命が救われた。
3. 一つしかない命を大切にしてほしい。

使い方ガイド

場面: health, philosophy, emergencies

トーン: serious

起源と歴史

The kanji 命 originally depicted a person kneeling before a decree from above, linking the concepts of divine order and life. The on'yomi reading めい connects to 命令 (command).

文化的背景

時代: Ancient

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal