How to say "living" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 生活せいかつnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe default word for 'living' as daily life: the ongoing business of eating, working and getting by. Use it when talking about how someone lives from day to day.
- 暮らしくらしnoun, noun (suffix)Covers 'living' as one's way of life or lifestyle — the manner and circumstances of how one lives, as in a quiet life in the countryside or comfortable living.
- nounUnderstood on its own as the living room; the 'living, lifestyle' sense is loanword flavor seen in media and advertising, so it is seldom the word you want for daily life.
- 居住きょじゅうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers 'living (at, in)' in the sense of residence or abode — the fact of residing in a place, not daily life; typical contexts are official documents about where someone resides.
- 在住ざいじゅうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verb, noun (suffix)Means residing or dwelling in a particular place — living in a given city, region or country — the word for stating where someone lives, as in a profile or introduction.
Use 生活 for daily life, 「暮らし」 for one's way or circumstances of living, 居住 for residence in official contexts, 在住 for stating where someone resides, and 「リビング」 chiefly for the living room.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 生活せいかつlife
- 暮らしくらし(way of) life
- リビングliving
- 居住きょじゅうresidence
- 在住ざいじゅうresiding
- 生息せいそくinhabiting
- 在留ざいりゅうresiding (esp. abroad)
- 住じゅうdwelling
- 現存げんぞんexisting
- 生身なまみliving flesh
- 生計せいけいlivelihood
- いきliving
- 生せいlife
- 活かつliving
- 方便たずきliving
- 世過ぎよすぎliving
- 在世ざいせいbeing alive
- 生きたいきたlive
- 渡世とせいmaking one's way in the world
- 住まいすまいliving
- 寝起きねおきliving (with)
- 生けるいけるliving
- 衣食いしょくliving
- 勝手かってfinancial circumstances
See also
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