1.
living thing, creature
Any organism that is alive, including animals and plants.
2.
animal, living being
Often refers specifically to animals or creatures.
生き物 is the everyday word for any living creature. While it technically covers all living organisms, in practice it most often refers to animals and other moving creatures.
Common patterns
Similar words
- 生物: living organism — scientific and academic, used in biology (生物学) and textbooks; 生き物 is the everyday, warmer word, used in conversation and by children