also: しょう
noun
General term for life or living, often used in compounds or formal contexts.
生と死について考える。
I think about life and death.
noun, noun, used as a suffix
Only with reading せい
Humble first-person pronoun used by men. Archaic and rarely used in modern speech; mostly found in historical or formal contexts.
生はこの度、江戸へ参ります。
I will be going to Edo this time.
noun, used as a suffix
Only with reading せい
Abbreviation used as a suffix in compounds like 学生 (がくせい). Not used as a standalone word.
See also: 学生 (がくせい)
「学生」の「生」は、学ぶ者を表す接尾辞です。
The 生 in 学生 is a suffix that indicates a person who studies.
The kanji 生 carries meanings related to life and birth. The reading せい is the standard Sino-Japanese on'yomi. The reading しょう is a less common on'yomi. The humble pronoun use is a specialized historical application.