常じょう住じゅう坐ざ臥が

じょ

う

じゅ

う

ざ

が

Meanings

adverb, noun

always; constantly; at all times

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

A yojijukugo meaning 'in all daily activities, whether sitting or lying down'; emphasizes continuous, habitual state. Often used in formal or literary contexts.

常じょう住じゅう坐ざ臥が、健けん康こうに気きをつけている。
I am always mindful of my health, in everything I do.
彼かれは常じょう住じゅう坐ざ臥が、仕し事ごとのことを考かんがえている。
He thinks about work constantly, day and night.

Kanji

常usual, ordinary, normal
住dwell, reside, live
坐sit
臥bend down, bow, lie prostrate
座squat, seat, cushion

Related words

四し六ろく時じ中ちゅう
四六時中 also means 'around the clock' or 'all the time', but is more colloquial and commonly used in everyday speech, whereas 常住坐臥 is a formal yojijukugo with a literary feel.
常つねに
常に is a standard adverb for 'always', neutral in register and widely used. 常住坐臥 carries a stronger nuance of 'in every moment of daily life' and is more emphatic.

Written forms

常じょう住じゅう坐ざ臥が
Standard kanji form for this yojijukugo.
常じょう住じゅう座ざ臥が
Variant spelling using 座 instead of 坐; both are used.

Etymology

A yojijukugo derived from Buddhist terminology, combining 常住 (permanent dwelling, constant) and 坐臥 (sitting and lying down), referring to all postures and activities of daily life. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is used to express continuous, unwavering state.