Japanese Conversation · Level 122
60 words
Japanese word
生涯
Pronunciation
Romajishōgai
Meaning
- nounlife
Example
彼は生涯、音楽を愛しました。kare wa shō gai on gaku o ai shi ma shi ta
He loved music throughout his life.
More examples
彼女は生涯の友と久しぶりに再会しました。kano jo wa shō gai no tomo to hisa shi bu ri ni sai kai shi ma shi ta
She reunited with her lifelong friend after a long time.
Core concept
Describes the complete span of a person's life, viewed as one continuous period.
Common phrases
生涯の友shō gai no tomo
lifelong friend
Similar words
一生isshō: The whole period from a person's birth to death.
人生jinsei: A person's life as it is lived through different experiences and stages.
Definition in Japanese
人が生きている間の全期間。hito ga i ki te i ru aida no zen ki kan
Word origin
生涯 (shōgai) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 生 (shō, "life") and 涯 (gai, "limit" or "edge"), so it denotes the full span of life.
Usage tips
- In everyday Japanese, 生涯 (shōgai) has a formal tone and commonly describes something that continues across a person's whole life rather than a short stage.
Other meanings
- lifetimenoun