Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 生活 | shēnghuó | /ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ xu̯ɔ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /səŋ²⁴ xuə²⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 生命 | shēngmìng | /ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ miŋ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /sə̃³¹ mĩ⁴⁴/ (Mandarin, Nanjing, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 性命 | sèⁿ-miā, sìⁿ-miā | /sĩ²¹⁻⁵³ miã²²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Singapore, Sinological IPA) /sĩ²¹⁻⁴² mia²²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Singapore, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
| 生活 | seⁿ-o̍ah, seng-o̍ah | /siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ uaʔ⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Kinmen, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Taipei, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) /siɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² uaʔ⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Kinmen, Singapore, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
The meaning of "life" changes significantly depending on the term you select. 生活 typically refers to the practical aspects of existence, such as one's daily living, lifestyle or livelihood. It can also function as a verb meaning "to live" or "to lead a certain kind of life". In contrast, 生命 refers to the biological state of being alive or the vital force of an organism. If you are discussing the preservation or loss of physical existence and survival, the Hokkien term 性命 is used.
Which one should you use?
Use 生活 when talking about the practicalities of daily living or lifestyle. Use 生命 when referring to the biological essence or vitality of a living thing. In Hokkien, use 性命 specifically when discussing physical survival or the preservation of one's life.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The terms сынхуә and вумур are used in Dungan, while 性命 and 生活 (romanized as seⁿ-o̍ah or seng-o̍ah) are used in Hokkien.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for the Hokkien form is seⁿ-o̍ah, seng-o̍ah.
Did you know?
- The character 生 found in both 生活 and 生命 can be read as 'sheng' or 'sēng', and it also means 'raw' or 'unripe' when referring to food.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the biological life denoted by 生命 is often linked to 气 or 'qi', the invisible vital energy that flows through all living things.
- In the Hokkien term 性命, the second character 命 refers specifically to 'fate' or 'destiny', linking the physical survival of a person to their predestined lot in life.
Examples in context
- 生活怎么样？How's life?This sentence shows how to ask about someone's current life using 生活.Tatoeba #402747 by GlossaMatik, translation #402744 by FeuDRenais
- 政治即生活。Politics are the life.This sentence illustrates a philosophical connection between politics and 生活.Tatoeba #2076319 by sadhen, translation #1340063 by notobelieb
- 水就是生命。Water is life.This sentence uses 生命 to describe the vital necessity of water.Tatoeba #5978213 by GlossaMatik, translation #3861611 by Hybrid
- 生命是世界上最神奇的珍宝。Life is the most miraculous treasure in the world.
- 人生就像一本书，每一页都值得去阅读。Life is like a book, and every page is worth reading.
- 保持积极的态度对于幸福的生活非常重要。Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial for a happy life.
- 233 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their new routines in a big city.
- 浩然 Haoran这里的生活节奏很快。zhèlǐ de shēnghuó jiézòu hěn kuài.The pace of life here is very fast.
- 佳怡 Jiayi是的，但我很喜欢这种生活。shì de, dàn wǒ hěn xǐhuān zhè zhǒng shēnghuó.Yes, but I really like this kind of life.
- 浩然 Haoran你适应新生活了吗？nǐ shìyìng xīn shēnghuó le ma?Have you adapted to your new life?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我已经习惯了。wǒ yǐjīng xíguàn le.I have already gotten used to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries 生活, 生命, 性命, 生活, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
