Chinese character for life: 生命 (shēngmìng)
The Chinese word for life is 生命 (shēngmìng). It means life in the sense of being alive, as in 珍惜生命 (cherish life). For 'life' as daily living, Chinese uses 生活 (shēnghuó).
How 生命 is built
生 (shēng) shows a young shoot growing out of the soil 土, so it means to grow, to be born and to live. 命 (mìng) joins 口 (mouth) and 令 (order); it first meant a command, then fate, then a person's life, the life given by heaven. As a memory aid, 生命 is growth plus fate: the life you are given. Both are identical in simplified and traditional.
生 shēng · to give birth
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
Origin hint: A shoot 屮 growing in the soil 土 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
命 mìng · life
- 令lìng — command
- 人rén — person
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
Origin hint: An order 令 given by mouth 口 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 生命 is used
Other ways to say life
- 生 shēng — to live, to be born; a single character
- 生活 shēnghuó — life as daily living
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: Pick 生命 for life itself and 生活 for lifestyle or daily life; a native speaker can tell you which matches your idea.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for life?
生命 (shēngmìng) means “life”.
How do you pronounce 生命?
生命 is pronounced shēngmìng.