How to say 'Life' in Japanese | 命

Wondering how to say 'Life' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Life is 'Inochi', written as 命 in Japanese.'Life' in hiragana is いのち.

word

命

Meaning

Life

Reading

いのち

inochi

Kanji

命Command, Life

Explanation

The Japanese noun '命 (いのち)' means 'life'. It refers to the existence of a living being, encompassing both the physical and spiritual aspects of life. This word is often used in contexts that emphasize the preciousness or fragility of life. For example: Life is precious「命は大切だ」(いのちはたいせつだ). He risked his life to save the child「彼は子供を救うために命をかけた」(かれはこどもをすくうためにいのちをかけた). The word can also be used metaphorically to describe something that is essential or vital to existence, such as 'the life of a project' or 'the life of a community'.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

1034

Composition

kanji

Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 命

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

命

Meaning

Command, Life

Words Related to 命 Through the Kanji 命

These 11 Words contain the Kanji 命 as well.

word

生命

Meaning

Life

word

命令

Meaning

Order

word

革命

Meaning

Revolution

word

一生懸命

Meaning

Hard, Earnestly

word

命ずる

Meaning

Command

word

懸命

Meaning

Earnest

word

運命

Meaning

Fate

word

寿命

Meaning

Lifespan

word

任命

Meaning

Appointment

word

使命

Meaning

Mission

word

命じる

Meaning

Order

Learn the Word 命

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What does 'Inochi' (命) mean?

'Inochi' means 'Life' .

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