生計

• Reading: せいけい
• Romaji: seikei
• Kanji breakdown: 生 (sei/shou) — life, living; 計 (kei) — measure, plan, calculate
• Pronunciation: /seː.keː/

Meaning

Livelihood; living. The means by which one earns money to support daily life and expenses.

A noun almost always used in the fixed phrase 生計を立てる (seikei wo tateru, to make a living). Formal in register and common in writing, news, and official contexts. Related to but distinct from 生活 (seikatsu, daily life/lifestyle), which is broader in scope. 生計 focuses specifically on the financial aspect of sustaining oneself.

Examples

1. フリーランスの仕事で生計を立てている。 I make my living through freelance work.
2. 生計を維持するのが年々難しくなっている。 It's becoming harder year by year to maintain one's livelihood.
3. 夫婦共働きで生計を支えている家庭が増えた。 More households are relying on both spouses working to support their livelihood.

Usage Guide

Context: economics, work, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 生 (sei, life/living) + 計 (kei, measure/plan). Literally 'life plan' — the calculated means of sustaining one's existence.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal