JLPT · Level 98
45 words
Japanese word
人命
Pronunciation
Romajijinmei
Meaning
- nounhuman life
Example
救助隊は人命を守ります。kyū jo tai wa jin mei o mamo ri ma su
The rescue team protects human life.
More examples
医療では、人命を救うために迅速な判断が求められます。i ryō de wa jin mei o sukū ta me ni jin soku na han dan ga moto me ra re ma su
In medicine, quick decisions are required to save human lives.
Core concept
Centers on a person's life as something that can be protected, endangered, or lost.
Common phrases
人命を救うjin mei o sukū
save human lives
人命を最優先するjin mei o sai yū sen su ru
put human life first
Similar words
命inochi: The life of a person, considered in ordinary speech or personal matters.
生命seimei: Life as the condition of being a living organism.
Definition in Japanese
人間の生命そのもの。nin gen no sei mei so no mo no
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 人命 (jinmei) combines 人 (jin, "person") and 命 (mei, "life") to mean human life.
Usage tips
- The term appears often in emergency and disaster reporting, where protecting it is treated as the central goal of rescue work.