also: せいるい
living things; living creatures
A somewhat formal or literary term for living beings, often used in historical, religious, or ethical contexts (e.g., 生類憐れみの令).
Caring for living things is taught in many religions.
The Edicts on Compassion for Living Things were issued in the Edo period.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading しょうるい is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered, especially in older or formal contexts.
Compound of 生 (life, living) and 類 (kind, category). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used since classical times to refer to living beings collectively.