生きる

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 人生を生きる。▶ —
   I live my life.
2. 一生懸命に生きる。▶ —
   I live with all my might.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Ikiru (生きる) is "to live" (an A entry, a cross-cultural metaphor with universal life-as-journey resonance). Kanji 生 (the essence of life). Japans precise cultural cluster: (1) ikigai (生きがい, "reason to live" — a uniquely Japanese cultural concept distinct from Western "purpose / meaning of life," a four-circle Venn diagram of passion plus mission plus profession plus reward, popularized worldwide by Hector Garcia 2016); (2) isshou kenmei (with all ones might — samurai-era issho kenmei "defend one domain with ones life" stretched into modern Japanese workplace "wholehearted effort"); (3) ikizama (ones way of life / life stance — an emphatic phrasing); (4) jinsei (life, neutral); (5) seishi (life and death, formal). A-entry trap: cross-referring Korean salda inline as hangul should be avoided; use romanization (sal-da) or kanji 生 cross-refs. JLPT N5 plus Japans deep cultural concept.

Quick check

1. Core of Japans ikigai cultural concept?

   • Four-circle Venn diagram of passion plus mission plus profession plus reward — a Japan-unique layer distinct from Western "purpose"
   • Same as Western "purpose"
   • Money only
   • Plain hobby