Chinese word

生活

Pronunciation

Pinyinshēng huó

Meaning

  • nounlife

Example

这个城市的生活很方便。zhè ge chéng shì de shēng huó hěn fāng biàn

Life in this city is very convenient.

Illustration for 生活 (life)

More examples

我的生活很忙。wǒ de shēng huó hěn máng

My life is very busy.

Core concept

The everyday pattern of actions and circumstances through which a person or family lives.

Common phrases

  • 日常生活rì cháng shēng huó

    daily life

  • 家庭生活jiā tíng shēng huó

    family life

  • 城市生活chéng shì shēng huó

    city life

Similar words

日常rì cháng: The repeated pattern of daily routines and events.
日子rì zi: The days that pass one by one during everyday living.

Definition in Chinese

个人或家庭在一定时期内为维持生存并处理日常事务而进行的活动及由此形成的生活状态。gè rén huò jiā tíng zài yí dìng shí qī nèi wèi wéi chí shēng cún bìng chú lǐ rì cháng shì wù ér jìn xíng de huó dòng jí yóu cǐ xíng chéng de shēng huó zhuàng tài

Word origin

The compound is built from 生 (shēng, "to live") + 活 (huó, "to be alive"), linking staying alive with active living and the everyday way of living.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, 生活 (shēnghuó, "to live") can also be a verb, as in 我在北京生活 (wǒ zài Běijīng shēnghuó, "I live in Beijing").

Other meanings

  • daily lifenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word