living in shame; dishonor while alive
Refers to the shame or disgrace one experiences while still alive, often contrasted with 死に恥 (shame after death). Used in expressions like 生き恥をさらす (to expose oneself to living shame).
See also: 死に恥
He thought he would rather die than live in shame.
I can't bear to live in disgrace.
Compound of 生き (living) and 恥 (shame). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of forming nouns from verb stems and nouns.