生存する

• Reading: せいぞんする
• Romaji: seizonsuru
• Kanji breakdown: 生 (sei) — life, live; 存 (zon) — exist, survive
• Pronunciation: /seː.zoɴ.sɯ.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To survive; to exist. To continue living, especially in difficult or dangerous conditions.

A suru-verb emphasising the act of staying alive or continuing to exist. More formal and scientific than 生き残る (ikinokoru, to survive). Used in biology for survival of species, in disaster contexts for survivors, and in philosophy for human existence. Common forms include 生存者 (seizonsha, survivor), 生存率 (seizonritsu, survival rate), and 生存競争 (seizon kyousou, struggle for survival).

Examples

1. 厳しい環境でも生存する生物が発見された。 Organisms that can survive even in harsh environments have been discovered.
2. この病気の五年生存率は約八十パーセントだ。 The five-year survival rate for this disease is about eighty percent.
3. 砂漠で三日間生存するには水の確保が不可欠だ。 Securing water is essential to surviving in the desert for three days.

Usage Guide

Context: biology, disaster, medicine

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 生 (sei, life/live) + 存 (zon/son, exist/survive) + する (suru, to do). Literally 'to do living-existing' — the state of being alive and continuing to exist.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal