生活

• Reading: せいかつ
• Romaji: seikatsu
• Kanji breakdown: 生 (sei/i) — life, birth, living; 活 (katsu) — lively, active
• Pronunciation: /seː.ka.t͡sɯ/

Meaning

Life; living; livelihood. Refers to daily life, lifestyle, or the act of making a living.

A noun that functions as an intransitive suru-verb (生活する = to live / to make a living). Covers both the general concept of daily life and the financial aspect of earning a living. Common phrases include 生活費 (seikatsuhi, living expenses), 日常生活 (nichijou seikatsu, daily life), and 生活習慣 (seikatsu shuukan, lifestyle habits).

Examples

1. 日本での生活にだんだん慣れてきました。 I've gradually gotten used to life in Japan.
2. 一人で生活するのは大変です。 Living on your own is tough.
3. 健康的な生活を送りたいと思っています。 I want to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, society, health

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 生 (sei, life/living) and 活 (katsu, lively/active). Together they mean living actively — the ongoing activity of daily life.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal