生死
also: しょうじ · しょうし
Meanings
General term for the boundary between life and death, often used in serious or philosophical contexts.
It was a decision that meant life or death.
He wandered between life and death.
samsara; cycle of death and rebirth
Only with reading しょうじ / しょうし
Buddhist term for the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Read しょうじ or しょうし.
In Buddhism, the repetition of life and death is called samsara.
Only with reading しょうじ / しょうし
Rare Buddhist usage meaning death, read しょうじ or しょうし. Not used in modern everyday language.
In old scriptures, 生死 can mean 'death'.
Usage patterns
- 〈事〉が生死を分けるfor something to be the deciding factor between life and death
That decision was the difference between life and death.
- 〈事〉が生死にかかわるto be a matter of life and death
This is a matter of life and death.
- 〈人〉が生死をさまようto hover between life and death
He hovered between life and death for several days.
- 〈人〉が生死を賭けるto risk one's life
He risked his life to take on the mission.
Expressions
- 生死一如life and death are two sides of the same coin; life and death are one