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生
生 (readings: せい, しょう, い, う, は, き, なま; Japanese kanji) means “life / birth”. It is a Grade 1 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 1 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 先生 (teacher).
What does 生 mean?
| Kanji | 生 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | life / birth |
| Readings | せい, しょう, い, う, は, き, なま |
| Grade | Grade 1 (Easiest) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
How to read 生
生 is read せい or しょう or い or う or は or き or なま depending on the word.
Example words with 生
| Example | 先生 (teacher) |
|---|
Practice writing 生 — free
See 生's stroke order, take a quiz, and add it to your spaced-repetition review. KanjiSchool teaches all 1,026 Kyōiku kanji through real stories and news.
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Updated: 2026-07-14