生

shēng
#34 most
frequent character
unripe, green, living, raw
adjective
verb

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

生 is a picture of a sprouting plant, so it first meant 'to grow, to emerge'. From there it grew to 'to live', 'person', 'uncooked', and 'to make'.

Drawn as: sprouting plant

生 as a component in other characters

meaning2 characters
性甤
sound9 characters
性星胜姓牲甥笙旌眚
picture2 characters
姓甦

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Example Sentences

这些生菜还没有熟。
zhèixiē shēngcài huán méiyǒu shú 。
These vegetables are still raw.
他还是个生员。
tā háishì gè shēng yuán 。
He is still a newcomer.
请给我一杯生水。
qǐng gěi wǒ yībēi shēngshuǐ 。
Please give me a glass of tap water.

Words with similar meanings

未熟wèishú
unripe
This term specifically refers to food that has not yet reached ripeness.
原始yuánshǐ
primitive
This term can imply something that is in its initial, undeveloped state.

Words Starting With 生

生日shēng rì
birthday
生病shēng bìng
to fall ill; to sicken
生气shēng qì
angry; mad; offended; animated; to get angry; to be enraged; to take offense; animation
生命shēng mìng
life; living; biological
生活shēng huó
life; activity; to live; livelihood

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