Korean word

생명

Pronunciation

Romanizationsaengmyeong

Meaning

  • nounlife

Example

그는 사고로 생명을 잃었다.keu neun sa go ro saeng myeong eul i reot tta

He lost his life in an accident.

Illustration for 생명 (life)

More examples

구조대가 빠르게 와서 생명을 구했다.ku jo dae ga ppa reu ge wa seo saeng myeong eul ku haet tta

The rescue team arrived quickly and saved a life.

Core concept

The living state itself, or the vital existence held by a person, animal, or plant.

Common phrases

  • 생명을 구하다saeng myeong eul ku ha da

    save a life

  • 생명을 지키다saeng myeong eul chi ki da

    protect a life

  • 생명을 앗아가다saeng myeong eul a sa ga da

    take a life

Similar words

목숨mokssum: A person's life viewed in terms of danger, rescue, or loss.
삶sam: The way a person lives each day through activities, habits, and experiences.
인생insaeng: One person's lifetime as shaped by experiences, choices, and major events.

Definition in Korean

생명이란 사람·동물·식물이 살아 있는 상태나 살아 있는 존재가 지닌 목숨을 가리키는 말이다.saeng myeong i ran sa ram tong mul sing mu ri sa ra in neun sang tae na sa ra in neun chon jae ga chi nin mok ssu meul ka ri ki neun ma ri da

Word origin

This Sino-Korean word combines ideas of living and one's life or vital existence, giving it a broad sense of life.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English life, which can also mean a biography or lifestyle, this word focuses on being alive and the life that can be lost.

Opposites

Related words

  • 생명력saengmyeongnyeokvitalitynoun
  • 생명체saengmyeongcheliving organismnoun
  • 생명보험saengmyeongboheomlife insurancenoun

Word lists with this word