せい

birth

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Core Meanings

The character (shēng) primarily relates to life and birth. It can mean 'to be born,' 'to live,' or refer to something raw or unprocessed, such as 'raw food.'

Usage in Context

  1. Birth and life: is often used to talk about giving birth or the state of being alive.
  2. Raw or uncooked: It describes food or materials that are not cooked or processed.
  3. Vividness or liveliness: In compounds like 生动, it conveys vividness or animation.

Common Collocations

  • 孩子 (give birth to a child): used in family or medical contexts.
  • (fresh ginger): a common ingredient, emphasizing rawness.
  • 生气 (angry, literally 'give life to anger'): a fixed expression.

Tips

Be careful not to confuse (shēng) with similar-sounding words like (shēng, sound). Also, can function as a verb or adjective depending on context. When used in compounds, its meaning can shift, so pay attention to the full phrase.

Example Sentences

He just gave birth to a child.

This dish uses fresh ginger.

He likes vivid stories.