life, genuine, birth
生 centers on the idea of something coming into existence or being in its natural, unprocessed state: life, birth, and genuine quality. The meanings flow from the core concept of raw vitality and authenticity.
to bear fruit
raw; uncooked; fresh
teacher; instructor; master
to live; to exist
life; living
(one's) life
birth; birthplace
occurrence; incidence; outbreak; birth (e.g. of civilization)
birth (of a person); nativity
student (esp. a university student)
production; manufacture
pupil; student; schoolchild
restoration to life; coming to life again; resuscitation; regeneration
life; existence
elementary school student; primary school student; grade school student
living thing; organism; creature; life
whole life; a lifetime; all through life
senior high school student
junior high school student; middle school pupil
to grow; to spring up; to sprout
to be born
to produce; to yield; to cause
university student; college student
to make (the best) use of; to put to good use; to leverage (skills, attributes, experience, etc.); to capitalise on (experience, etc.)
生 is a pictograph of a plant sprouting from the ground, symbolizing life, growth, and birth. The modern form retains the basic shape of a shoot emerging from the earth.
Picture a young green sprout pushing up through the soil: 生 is that fresh, genuine life being born.
For セイ, imagine a sprout saying 'say' hello to the world as it is born: 'say' -> セイ, and the new life speaks its first word.