生生 (shēng shēng) — (Buddhist) the cycle of rebirth; successive incarnations; (adverb) relentlessly; continuously

Definition

A literary bound form with two main uses: in Buddhist contexts it means 'cycle of rebirth' (e.g. 生生世世 = incarnation after incarnation); otherwise it functions as an adverb meaning 'relentlessly, ceaselessly,' as in 生生不息.

bound form
(Buddhist) the cycle of rebirthsuccessive incarnations
adverb
relentlesslycontinuously
Easily confused

Examples

  • 生生。
    Fó jiào rèn wéi zhòng shēng zài shēng shēng shì shì zhōng lún huí.
    Buddhism holds that sentient beings cycle through incarnation after incarnation.
  • 生生。
    Zhè ge jiā zú shēng shēng shì shì dōu jiān shǒu zhe chuán tǒng.
    This family generation after generation upholds its traditions.
  • ，。
    Dà zì rán shì shēng shēng bù xī de, wàn wù dōu zài gēng xīn.
    Nature is endlessly productive; all things are renewing.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

生shēngbirth/life
生shēngbirth/life

'生生' repeats '生' (birth/life) to express one birth after another, endlessly.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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