Japanese word

生身

Pronunciation

Romajinamami

Meaning

  • nounflesh and blood

Example

彼は生身の人間です。kare wa nama mi no nin gen de su

He is flesh and blood.

Illustration for 生身 (flesh and blood)

More examples

遠隔操作ではなく、生身の人間がその場で対応します。en kaku sō sa de wa na ku nama mi no nin gen ga so no ba de tai ō shi ma su

Rather than using remote control, a flesh-and-blood person will respond on the spot.

Core concept

生身 (namami) describes a physically living person or body rather than a spirit, image, or artificial substitute.

Common phrases

  • 生身の人間nama mi no nin gen

    a flesh-and-blood person

Similar words

肉体nikutai: The physical body of a living person, considered as a material part of that person.
身体shintai: The physical body of a person, including its shape and bodily functions.

Definition in Japanese

実際に生きている人の肉体や、その人自身。jis sai ni i ki te i ru hito no niku tai ya so no hito ji shin

Word origin

生身 (namami) is a Japanese compound of 生 (nama, "raw" or "living") and 身 (mi, "body"), forming the sense of a living physical body.

Usage tips

  • In English, flesh and blood can also mean a person's close family, while 生身 (namami) focuses on a person's physical, living presence.

Other meanings

  • living personnoun

Word lists with this word