Translation and Meaning of: 生活 - seikatsu

The Japanese word 生活[せいかつ] is one of those that frequently appears in everyday life in Japan, whether in conversations, texts, or even in animes and dramas. If you are studying Japanese, understanding its meaning, use, and cultural context can be essential for communicating more naturally. In this article, we will explore what this word represents, how it is used in daily life, and some curiosities that can aid in memorization.

生活[せいかつ] is a term that goes far beyond a simple translation. It carries cultural and social nuances that reflect important aspects of life in Japan. Whether for those who want to travel, live in the country, or simply immerse themselves in the language, understanding this word in depth is a valuable step.

Meaning and usage of 生活[せいかつ]

生活[せいかつ] can be translated as "life" or "existence," but its meaning goes a bit beyond that. It refers to the everyday, lifestyle, and daily activities that make up a person's routine. While other words like 人生[じんせい] (life in the sense of a journey) have a broader meaning, 生活 is more connected to day-to-day life.

A practical example is the expression 日常生活[にちじょうせいかつ], which means "daily life." This word appears in contexts such as work, studies, habits, and even in discussions about quality of life. If someone says "日本の生活に慣れました" (I got used to life in Japan), they are talking precisely about their adaptation to the local lifestyle.

Origin and composition of kanjis

生活 is composed of two kanjis: 生 (life, to be born) and 活 (active, vigorous). Together, they form the concept of "active life" or "existence in motion." The first kanji, 生, is one of the most fundamental in the Japanese language, appearing in words like 学生[がくせい] (student) and 誕生日[たんじょうび] (birthday). Meanwhile, 活 is less common on its own, but appears in terms like 活動[かつどう] (activity) and 活躍[かつやく] (active performance).

According to the etymological dictionary 漢字源, the combination of these characters dates back to classical Chinese, where it already carried a sense of "maintenance of life." Over time, the term was incorporated into Japanese with a meaning closer to what we know today, related to daily routine and sustenance.

Life [せいかつ] in Japanese culture

In Japan, the word 生活 is deeply connected with values such as discipline, organization, and balance. Discussions about 生活リズム (rhythm of life) or 生活習慣 (daily habits) are common, especially in health and wellness contexts. Many TV programs and articles address how to improve 生活の質 (quality of life), highlighting the importance of this concept in society.

An interesting fact is that during the Edo period, the term was often associated with family sustenance and daily work. Today, it retains that connection but has gained additional layers, such as in the modern use of デジタル生活 (digital life) or シンプル生活 (simple life). These variations show how the word adapts to new times without losing its core meaning.

Tips for memorizing and using 生活[せいかつ]

An effective way to memorize this word is to associate it with concrete situations from day to day. For example, think of phrases like "My life in Japan" (日本の生活) or "Change my lifestyle" (生活を変える). This type of contextualization helps to remember not only the term but also its real applications.

Another tip is to pay attention to common compounds, such as 生活費[せいかつひ] (living expenses) and 社会生活[しゃかいせいかつ] (social life). These combinations appear frequently in news and conversations, so recognizing them can be very useful for those looking to expand their vocabulary naturally.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 暮らし (kurashi) - Way of living; lifestyle.
• 生計 (seikei) - Means of livelihood; sustenance.
• 日常生活 (nichijō seikatsu) - Daily life; daily activities.
• 生存 (seizon) - Survival; existence.
• 生涯 (shōgai) - Whole life; all life.
• 生きる (ikiru) - Live; exist.

生活

Romaji: seikatsu
Kana: せいかつ
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n4

Translation / Meaning: life; life (one's daily existence); subsistence

Meaning in English: living;life (one's daily existence);livelihood

Definition: daily life and way of life.

Example Sentences - (生活) seikatsu

See below some example sentences:

都会での生活は忙しいです。

Tokai de no seikatsu wa isogashii desu

Life in the city is hectic.

City life is busy.

• 都会 (tokai) - means big city or metropolis
• で (de) - Particle that indicates the place where something happens
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 生活 (seikatsu) - means everyday life or lifestyle
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 忙しい (isogashii) - means busy or agitated
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

文化は人々の生活に欠かせないものです。

Bunka wa hitobito no seikatsu ni kakasenai mono desu

Culture is essential to people's lives.

Culture is indispensable to people's lives.

• 文化 (bunka) - culture
• 人々 (hitobito) - people
• 生活 (seikatsu) - life, way of life
• 欠かせない (kakasenai) - indispensable, essential
• もの (mono) - thing
• です (desu) - Verb ser/estar (polite form)

生活は大切なものです。

Seikatsu wa taisetsu na mono desu

Life is precious.

Life is important.

• 生活 (seikatsu) - life, lifestyle
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 大切 (taisetsu) - important, valuable
• な (na) - particle that indicates adjectivation
• もの (mono) - thing, object
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

携帯電話は私たちの生活に欠かせないものになっています。

Keitai denwa wa watashitachi no seikatsu ni kakasenai mono ni natte imasu

Cell phones have become indispensable in our daily lives.

Cell phones are indispensable to our lives.

• 携帯電話 (keitai denwa) - cell phone
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私たち (watashitachi) - we
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 生活 (seikatsu) - life, lifestyle
• に (ni) - target particle
• 欠かせない (kakasenai) - indispensable
• もの (mono) - thing
• に (ni) - target particle
• なっています (natte imasu) - has become, is becoming

常識は社会生活において必要不可欠なものです。

Joushiki wa shakai seikatsu ni oite hitsuyou fukaketsu na mono desu

Common sense is essential in social life.

Common sense is essential in social life.

• 常識 - common knowledge
• 社会生活 - social life
• において - in
• 必要不可欠 - essential
• な - is
• もの - thing
• です - is

健全な食生活は健康の秘訣です。

Kenzennna shokuseikatsu wa kenkou no himitsu desu

A healthy diet is the secret to good health.

A healthy diet is the secret of health.

• 健全な (kenzen na) - healthy
• 食生活 (shokuseikatsu) - eating habits
• は (wa) - particle that marks the theme of the sentence
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• の (no) - Particle that indicates possession
• 秘訣 (hiketsu) - secret
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

トレーニングをすることは健康的な生活に欠かせない。

Toreeningu wo suru koto wa kenkouteki na seikatsu ni kakasenai

Training is essential for a healthy life.

Training is indispensable for a healthy life.

• トレーニング - - word in Japanese that means "training".
• をすることは - - expression in Japanese that indicates the action of doing something, in this case, the training.
• 健康的な - - word in Japanese that means "healthy".
• 生活に - - a Japanese expression that indicates the relationship with lifestyle.
• 欠かせない - - word in Japanese that means "indispensable" or "essential".

エネルギーは私たちの生活に欠かせないものです。

Enerugī wa watashitachi no seikatsu ni kakasenai mono desu

Energy is indispensable for our lives.

• エネルギー - energy
• は - Topic particle
• 私たち - we
• の - Possessive particle
• 生活 - life
• に - target particle
• 欠かせない - indispensable
• もの - thing
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

レクリエーションは健康的な生活に必要です。

Rekurieeshon wa kenkouteki na seikatsu ni hitsuyou desu

Recreation is necessary for a healthy life.

Recreation is necessary for a healthy life.

• レクリエーション - Recreation
• は - Topic particle
• 健康的な - Healthy
• 生活 - Life
• に - Destination particle
• 必要 - Necessary
• です - Verb to be

レギュラーな生活を送ることが大切です。

Regyurā na seikatsu o okuru koto ga taisetsu desu

It is important to lead a regular life.

It is important to live a regular life.

• レギュラー - regular
• な - (grammatical particle that indicates adjective)
• 生活 - life, lifestyle
• を - (grammatical particle indicating direct object)
• 送る - send, send, live
• こと - (grammatical particle indicating action or event)
• が - (grammatical particle indicating subject)
• 大切 - important, valuable
• です - (grammatical particle indicating sentence completion)