Chinese–EnglishWith examples

生活

shēng huó · sheng huo

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to live
  2. life
  3. livelihood
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

Winter in Beijing

  1. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，你(nǐ)在(zài)北京(běijīng)生活(shēnghuó)几(jǐ)年(nián)了(le)？

    Dengdeng, how many years have you lived in Beijing?

  2. Dengdeng

    五(wǔ)年(nián)了(le)。

    Five years.

  3. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)习惯(xíguàn)这里(zhèlǐ)的(de)生活(shēnghuó)吗(ma)？

    Are you used to life here?

  4. Dengdeng

    习惯(xíguàn)，就是(jiùshì)冬天(dōngtiān)太(tài)冷(lěng)了(le)。

    Yes, it's just that winter is too cold.

  5. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)不是(bùshì)说(shuō)在(zài)北京(běijīng)生活(shēnghuó)很(hěn)好(hǎo)吗(ma)？

    Didn't you say life in Beijing is great?

  6. Dengdeng

    夏天(xiàtiān)很(hěn)好(hǎo)，冬天(dōngtiān)我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)生活(shēnghuó)在(zài)海南(hǎinán)。

    Summer is great. In winter I want to live in Hainan.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

Usage

生活 can describe life as a whole, everyday life, or the act of living somewhere.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

生(shēng)活(huó)支(zhī)出(chū)急(jí)剧(jù)上(shàng)涨(zhǎng)。

Living costs have increased rapidly.

Tatoeba: Chinese by murr · English by garborg · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

无(wú)论(lùn)我(wǒ)们(men)是(shì)否(fǒu)喜(xǐ)欢(huan)电(diàn)脑(nǎo)，它(tā)在(zài)我(wǒ)们(men)的(de)生(shēng)活(huó)中(zhōng)始(shǐ)终(zhōng)起(qǐ)着(zhe)重(zhòng)要(yào)的(de)作(zuò)用(yòng)。

Computers are certainly playing an important role in our life, whether we like it or not.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Gustav249 · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
生
shēng

to be born; to give birth

活
huó

to live; alive

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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