HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
to give birth
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
life
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
to grow
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
raw
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
uncooked
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
student
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
生
shēng
life, lifetime; birth; growth
HSK 4, vn, 5 strokes, radical 生, rank #572, Medium
shēng(sheng1) T1
1to be born
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#572DifficultyMedium
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
Podcast: 生
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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.
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).
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.
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Pronunciation of 生
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2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 生? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
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?
How to say to be born in Chinese
“to be born” in Chinese is生shēng
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.
When to use 生
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.
生 or something close to it
生 (shēng) vs 产 (chǎn) — use 生 for the concept of birth or life, while 产 specifically refers to production or yield.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 生
生
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Practice writing 生 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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.
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.
11
他在战争中出生，但从未见过他的父亲。
Tā zài zhànzhēng zhōng chūshēng, dàn cóngwèi jiànguò tā de fùqīn.
He was born during the war but never met his father.
12
在贫穷的家庭中出生，她依然努力追求自己的梦想。
Zài pínqióng de jiātíng zhōng chūshēng, tā yīrán nǔlì zhuīqiú zìjǐ de mèngxiǎng.
Born into a poor family, she still strives to pursue her dreams.
13
他出生在一个热爱艺术的家庭，从小就接触到许多名画。
Tā chūshēng zài yīgè rè'ài yìshù de jiātíng, cóngxiǎo jiù jiēchù dào xǔduō mínghuà.
He was born into an art-loving family and was exposed to famous paintings from a young age.
vnto give birth1
14
她去年生了一个漂亮的女儿。
Tā qùnián shēng le yī gè piàoliang de nǚ'ér.
She gave birth to a beautiful daughter last year.
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.
生 (shēng) primarily refers to the concept of being born or life in general, while 生活 (shēnghuó) specifically means 'life' in the context of daily living or lifestyle. Understanding this distinction helps in using the words appropriately in conversations.
生 (shēng) has several meanings in Chinese, including 'to be born', 'to give birth', 'life', 'to grow', and 'raw' or 'uncooked'. It is a versatile character used in various contexts, such as in 生词 (shēngcí) meaning 'new vocabulary' or 生菜 (shēngcài) meaning 'lettuce'.
To use 生 in a sentence, you can say '他是1980年生的' (Tā shì 1980 nián shēng de), which means 'He was born in 1980'. You can also use it in phrases like '生病' (shēngbìng), meaning 'to get sick'. Understanding its applications can enhance your conversational skills.
Yes, 生 is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, such as in academic language or everyday conversation.
An example sentence is '我在中国出生' (Wǒ zài Zhōngguó chūshēng), meaning 'I was born in China.'
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