生殖
seishoku[se̞ːɕo̞kɯ̟]
The Japanese word for reproduction is 生殖 (seishoku).
生殖 refers to the act of reproducing new individuals biologically. When discussing the reproduction of living organisms, particularly animals and plants, emphasizing breeding and increasing population, the word 繁殖 is used. The term 再生 is a formal way to say 'reproduction' referring to the process of something being recreated or regenerated.
Meaning: the act of reproducing new individuals biologically (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
seishoku
Did you know?
- In the context of intellectual property, the 'reproduction' of a book or song is not called 生殖, but rather 複製, which literally means 'making a copy'.
- If you use the word 繁殖 when talking about humans, it sounds less like 'having children' and more like 'breeding' for the sake of increasing population numbers.
- The character 生 found in 生殖 is one of the most complex in the language, possessing over a dozen different readings depending on the context.
Examples in context
- この昆虫は非常に高速に繁殖する。This insect reproduces at a very high speed.
- 生殖は生物にとって重要なプロセスです。Seishoku wa seibutsu ni totte juuyou na purosesu desu.Reproduction is an important process for living organisms.
- この植物の生殖方法を調べています。Kono shokubutsu no seishoku houhou o shirabete imasu.I am researching the reproduction method of this plant.
- 動物の生殖には多様な形態があります。Doubutsu no seishoku ni wa tayou na keitai ga arimasu.There are diverse forms of animal reproduction.
Example conversation
Daichi and Himari are studying biology together.
- 大翔 Hiroto生殖についての問題が難しいよ。seishoku ni tsuite no mondai ga muzukashii yo.The questions about reproduction are difficult.
- 陽葵 Himariどこが分からないの、大翔？doko ga wakaranai no, Daichi?What part don't you understand, Daichi?
- 大翔 Hiroto無性生殖と有性生殖の違いかな。musei seishoku to yuusei seishoku no chigai kana.I think it's the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction.
- 陽葵 Himari私が教えるから、一緒に考えよう。watashi ga oshieru kara, issho ni kangaeyou.I'll teach you, so let's think about it together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “reproduction” translations and entries 生殖, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
