Appendix:Gikun Usage in Meiji Version of Japanese Bible/生命

Japanese

Kanji in this term
生	命
いのち
Grade: 1	Grade: 3
irregular

Etymology

Gikun word derived by applying Chinese-derived spelling 生命 (“life”), a term which decomposes into 生 (“live”) + 命 (“life”), to native Japanese verb いのち (inochi, “life”).

Noun

生命(いのち) • (inochi) 

1. life

Quotations

• OT, page 2:

  又(また)地(ち)の諸(すべて)の獸(けもの)と天空(そら)の諸(すべて)の鳥(とり)および地(ち)に匍(は)ふ諸(すべて)の物(もの)等(など)凡(およ)そ生命(いのち)ある者(もの)には我(われ)食(しょく)物(もつ)として諸(すべて)の靑(あを)き草(くさ)を與(あた)ふと即(すなは)ち斯(かく)なりぬ

  Mata chi no subete no kemono to sora no subete no tori oyobi chi ni hau subete no mono nado oyoso inochi aru mono ni wa ware shokumotsu to shite subete no aoki kusa wo atau to sunawachi kaku narinu

  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.