Translation and Meaning of: 生き物 - ikimono

Você já parou para pensar como a palavra 生き物 (いきもの) consegue capturar a essência de tudo que respira e se move? Seja um inseto minúsculo ou uma baleia gigante, esse termo abrange toda a teia da vida de um jeito que só o japonês sabe expressar. Neste artigo, vamos desvendar desde a etimologia fascinante até os usos cotidianos dessa palavra, incluindo dicas para memorizar o kanji e curiosidades que vão te fazer enxergar os seres vivos com outros olhos.

In addition to exploring the literal meaning of "living being" or "animal," let's dive into the pictogram that makes up this word and discover why it appears so often in Japanese music and poetry. If you use Anki or another spaced repetition method, get ready to jot down practical examples that will boost your vocabulary. And there's more: did you know there's an unusual connection between 生き物 and certain dishes of Japanese cuisine? Keep reading to uncover these secrets!

The Anatomy of Kanji: Deciphering 生き物

The kanji 生 (いき) is a true masterpiece of Japanese writing - it alone embodies the concepts of life, birth, and even fresh products (like 生ビール, fresh beer). When combined with 物 (もの), which means "thing," we have the perfect conjunction: "living things." Interestingly, the upper horizontal stroke in 生 represents the earth, while the vertical stroke symbolizes a plant sprouting, a poetic image of life emerging.

In practice, the Japanese use 生き物 to refer to any living creature, from the classroom hamster to the fish in the aquarium. Unlike 動物 (どうぶつ, animal), which has a more scientific tone, いきもの brings a more affectionate and inclusive nuance - almost as if we are recognizing the vital spark in each being. Have you noticed how small children love to shout "生き物がいる！" when they find a ladybug in the park?

From Poetry to the Supermarket: Unexpected Uses

One of the most surprising places where you find 生き物 is on the shelves of Japanese supermarkets. Products like 生き物いらず (いきものいらず) are insecticides whose name plays with the double meaning: "dispenses living beings" (in this case, pests). In the song "生き物" by RADWIMPS, the word takes on philosophical contours, questioning what truly defines us as living creatures in contrast to machines and ideas.

In cuisine, there is an interesting debate about dishes like 生き作り (いきづくり), where fish are served still moving. Although controversial, this practice shows how the Japanese language is not afraid to confront the raw reality of life and death. To better memorize, try associating 生き物 with vivid scenes: imagine an NHK documentary showcasing 森の生き物 (もりのいきもの, forest creatures) - your brain tends to retain words better when linked to striking images.

Curiosities That Will Surprise You

In 2019, the word 生き物 became a trend on Japanese Twitter due to a peculiar phenomenon: users posted photos of houseplants with the hashtag #うちの生き物 (our living being), treating pots as family members. This personification reveals a lot about how the Japanese see the boundary between human and non-human life. Even the mascot of Ueno Zoo, the panda シャンシャン, has been affectionately called "宝物より生き物" (more than a treasure, a living being).

Want a foolproof tip to never forget this word? Remember that 生 appears in everyday terms like 生放送 (live broadcast) and 生演奏 (live performance), always bringing that energy of "now, pulsing." When you see the kanji 物 in other words like 食べ物 (food) or 買い物 (shopping), you are already strengthening the neural network that recognizes 生き物 (living things). And if you ever visit the Okinawa Aquarium, pay attention to how the guides repeat "海の生き物" (marine creatures) - it's your chance to absorb the term in a real context!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 生命体 (Seimeitai) - Organism; living body.
• 生物 (Seibutsu) - Living being; generally used in a scientific context.
• 生きもの (Ikimono) - Living thing; more commonly used in a colloquial context.

生き物

Romaji: ikimono
Kana: いきもの
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: living being; animal

Meaning in English: living thing;animal

Definition: Organism. A living being.

Example Sentences - (生き物) ikimono

See below some example sentences:

生き物は自然の中で大切な存在です。

Ikimono wa shizen no naka de taisetsu na sonzai desu

Living beings are important beings in nature.

Creatures are important in nature.

• 生き物 - means "living beings" in Japanese.
• は - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "living beings".
• 自然 - Means "nature" in Japanese.
• の - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates possession or relationship between two words, in this case, "nature".
• 中 - means "in the middle of" or "inside" in Japanese.
• で - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the place where something happens, in this case, "within nature".
• 大切 - means "important" or "valuable" in Japanese.
• な - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates an adjective.
• 存在 - means "existence" in Japanese.
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese, which indicates the existence or identity of something.