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生 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
生shēngto be bornHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēngto give birthHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēnglifeHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēngto growHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēngrawHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēnguncookedHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēngstudentHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
生shēnglife, lifetime; birth; growthHSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Easy
shēng(sheng1) T1
  1. 1to be born
  2. 2to give birth
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
生shēng(sheng1)

The character 生 (shēng) encompasses various meanings including 'to be born,' 'to give birth,' 'life,' and 'growth.' It is commonly used in contexts related to birth and life stages, as well as in culinary terms to describe something that is raw or uncooked. This character also denotes a student or learner, emphasizing the ongoing process of becoming and growing.

Strokes5Radical生Frequency#572DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

The concept of 生 is deeply rooted in Chinese beliefs surrounding life cycles and nature. In traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, the notion of '生' reflects the importance of balance and the life force (气 qi) in health and well-being.

Memory Tip

Imagine a baby being born on a spring day, symbolizing new life and growth. The character 生 resembles a sprouting plant, hinting at the idea of life and growth. To remember its pronunciation, think of a 'sheng' in a joyful shout celebrating the new beginnings.

Meanings of 生

shēng(sheng1)
1to be born
2to give birth
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 生

生Simplified
5Strokes
生Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadnv (adj.)Part of Speech
#572Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 生

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Podcast: 生

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 生

Quick Contrast

生 (shēng) vs 产 (chǎn) — use 生 for the concept of birth or life, while 产 specifically refers to production or yield.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a baby being born on a spring day, symbolizing new life and growth. The character 生 resembles a sprouting plant, hinting at the idea of life and growth. To remember its pronunciation, think of a 'sheng' in a joyful shout celebrating the new beginnings.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 生 with similar sounding characters like 省 (shěng, to save) or 声 (shēng, sound). The character is both formal and informal, suitable for various contexts. Watch out for the pronunciation; ensure the first tone (shēng) is used, as the meaning changes significantly with different tones.

HSK Study Tips

Although not a designated HSK level word, 生 is essential for beginners due to its foundational meanings related to life and learning. Students should focus on its different usages, especially in collocations like '生活' (shēnghuó, life) and '生意' (shēngyì, business).

Cultural Note

The concept of 生 is deeply rooted in Chinese beliefs surrounding life cycles and nature. In traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, the notion of '生' reflects the importance of balance and the life force (气 qi) in health and well-being.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 生 by using the wrong tone, leading to confusion with other characters. For example, saying shèng instead of shēng changes the meaning entirely, so focus on using the first tone.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 生

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Etymology of 生

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a sprout emerging from the ground.

Memory Hint

 A shoot 屮 growing in the soil 土

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 生?

Decomposition of 生

IDS Structure⿻一土
生Full Character
=
一yi1
outer
土Tu3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 生?

Write 生

生

Practice writing 生 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 生

生 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

...

这是我出生的地方。

Zhè shì wǒ chūshēng de dìfāng.

This is the place where I was born.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他____病了，今天不上班。

He's sick, so he's not going to work today.

Common Confusions with 生

生vs性
xìng

Similar sound but different meaning.

生的 refers to raw or uncooked; 生 means to be born or life.

1

我喜欢吃生的鱼。

生的 refers to raw or uncooked; 生 means to be born or life.

💡Remember 生 means 'to be born' and is related to life, whereas '生的' indicates something raw.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to be born"?

or

Usage Notes for 生

Misunderstanding of 生Common Error

Learners often confuse 生 with cooked food terms.

1

我不喜欢生的肉。

I don't like raw meat.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我不喜欢____的肉。

I don't like raw meat.

Example Sentences for 生 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我得慢慢学会独自生活。

wǒ dé màn màn xué huì dú zì shēng huó。

I would have to learn, little by little, to exist alone.
2
我游到救生筏前，死命地抓住它。

wǒ yóu dào jiù shēng fá qián， ， sǐ mìng dì zhuā zhù。

I made for the life raft and hung on for dear life.
3
我认为长期伏案的生活一点也不适合我。

wǒ rèn wéi cháng qī fú àn de shēng huó yī diǎn yě bù shì hé wǒ。

I don't think a sedentary life would altogether suit me.
4
我一生中从未感到如此丢脸。

wǒ yī shēng zhōng cóng wèi gǎn dào rú cǐ diū liǎn。

I have never felt so humiliated in my life.
5
我接触到一些非常聪明的哈佛和耶鲁的学生。

wǒ jiē chù dào yī xiē fēi cháng cōng míng de hā fó hé yé lǔ de xué shēng。

I came into contact with very bright Harvard and Yale students.
6
决定你人生高度的，不是你的才能，而是你的态度。

jué dìng nǐ rén shēng gāo dù de， ， bù shì nǐ de cái， néng ， ér shì nǐ de。

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.--Zig Ziglar
7
医生们抱怨他们疲于应付医药公司的销售人员。

yī shēng mén bào yuàn tā mén pí yú yīng fù yī yào gōng sī de xiāo shòu rén yuán。

Doctors are complaining about being barraged by drug-company salesmen.
8
这家公司生产一系列的新型轻便自行车。

zhè jiā gōng sī shēng chǎn yī xì liè de xīn xíng qīng biàn zì háng chē。

The company manufactures a range of innovative light-weight cycles.
9
学生常常赶数百英里的路来到这里。

xué shēng cháng cháng gǎn shù bǎi yīng lǐ de lù lái dào zhè lǐ。

Students often travel hundreds of miles to get here.
10
从务实角度来说，音乐电视网的生存依赖于把年轻人市场卖给广告商。

cóng wù shí jiǎo dù lái shuō， ， yīn lè diàn shì wǎng de shēng cún yī lài yú bǎ nián qīng rén shì cháng mài gěi guǎng gào。

Pragmatically, MTV's survival depends on selling the youth market to advertisers.

Cultural Notes for 生

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of 生 is deeply rooted in Chinese beliefs surrounding life cycles and nature. In traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, the notion of '生' reflects the importance of balance and the life force (气 qi) in health and well-being.

Word Family of 生

Compounds33
性xing4nature
星xing1star
胜sheng4victory
姓xing4family name
牲sheng1domestic animal
隆long1surname Long
甥sheng1niece, nephew; sister's child
笙sheng1free reed mouth organ
旌jing1to signal; a flag adorned with feathers
嬔
曐
泩
甡
産chan3to give birth
眚sheng3cataract; fault, error, crime
鼪
夝
嬎
徃
怣
栍
殅
狌
珄
甠
產chan3to give birth, to bring forth, to produce
甤rui2soft, delicate; overgrowth, drooping leaves
甦su1reborn; to resuscitate, to revive
甧
苼
貹
鉎
鮏
Words Containing This Character20
先生xiānshengteacher
发生fāshēngto happen發生
生活shēnghuólife
医生yīshēngdoctor醫生
生产shēngchǎnto produce生產
学生xuéshēngstudent學生
生shēnglife
生命shēngmìngliving being
产生chǎnshēngto arise產生
人生rénshēnglife (one's time on earth)
生日shēngrìbirthday
生气shēngqìto get angry生氣
生意shēngyilife force
一生yìshēngall one's life
女生nǚshēngschoolgirl
卫生wèishēnghealth衛生
出生chūshēngto be born
生物shēngwùorganism
生存shēngcúnto exist
生态shēngtàiecology生態
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 性 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 生

Common phrases with 生 include '生活' (shēnghuó), which means 'life' or 'to live', and '生意' (shēngyì), which means 'business'. These phrases reveal the character's various uses in everyday Chinese.