Details
Description
Life/Fate - precious existence, destiny, vital force.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of mouth and order. Commanding with mouth, fate.
Symbolism
Life, destiny, mission. Represents value and purpose of living.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents preciousness of life and heavenly mandate, implying spiritual responsibility to fulfill given mission.
Component Breakdown
Gather + mouth + seal
Words & Expressions
Words written with 命
Four-Character Compounds
安心立命
あんしんりつめい
spiritual peace and enlightenment; keeping an unperturbed mind through faith
一所懸命
いっしょけんめい
very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can
一生懸命
いっしょうけんめい
very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can
佳人薄命
かじんはくめい
beauties die young; beauty and luck seldom go together
絶体絶命
ぜったいぜつめい
desperate situation with no escape; being driven into a corner; being cornered
至上命令
しじょうめいれい
unconditional command; must-obey order
祥月命日
しょうつきめいにち
anniversary of a person's death
易姓革命
えきせいかくめい
revolution (change of dynasty) decreed by Heaven when the incumbent emperor is found lacking in moral virtue (old Chinese political thought)
可惜身命
あたらしんみょう
valuing one's body and life; holding one's life dear
美人薄命
びじんはくめい
beauty and fortune seldom go together; the beautiful die young
不惜身命
ふしゃくしんみょう
devoting one's body and soul to Buddhist teachings; unsparing devotion to Buddhism
延命息災
えんめいそくさい
health and longevity; enjoying a long and healthy life being untouched by disaster
五十知命
ごじゅうちめい
at age fifty, one comes to know the will of Heaven
息災延命
そくさいえんめい
health and longevity; enjoying a long and healthy life being untouched by disaster
帰命頂礼
きみょうちょうらい
most formal form of a prayer
Proverbs & Idioms
命あっての物種
いのちあってのものだね
Life is the seed of all things
Everything depends on being alive first
命は鴻毛より軽し
いのちはこうもうよりかるし
Life is lighter than a goose feather
Life can be sacrificed for a greater cause
Poetry
君がため 惜しからざりし 命さへ 長くもがなと 思ひけるかな
For your sake I once thought my life not worth keeping. Now I find myself wishing it long.
忘れじの 行く末までは かたければ 今日をかぎりの 命ともがな
Your promise never to forget me is hard to keep to the end — so let today be the last day of my life.
Anime & Manga
進撃の巨人
Attack on Titan
Story of humanity fighting titans with lives at stake
約束のネバーランド
The Promised Neverland
Escape thriller with lives on the line
チェンソーマン
Chainsaw Man
Dark fantasy questioning the value of life
100万の命の上に俺は立っている
I'm Standing on a Million Lives
A well-known work with 命 in its Japanese title.
転生王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命
The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady
A well-known work with 命 in its Japanese title.
Games
NieR:Automata
NieR: Automata(2017)
Questions android 'life' and meaning of existence
View on Amazon →デス・ストランディング
Death Stranding(2019)
Work themed around life, death, and connections of existence
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
磐之媛命
Name contains 命
Princess Iwa , sometimes known as Empress Iwa no hime , was a poet and the empress consort of Emperor Nintoku, who was the 16th emperor of Japan,…
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 命 mean in Japanese?
命 means life, fate, destiny. Life/Fate - precious existence, destiny, vital force.
How do you read 命?
On'yomi: メイ、ミョウ (MEI, MYOU). Kun'yomi: いのち (inochi).
How many strokes does 命 have?
命 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 口 (mouth).
Is 命 a good kanji for a tattoo?
命 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means life, fate, destiny. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.