生(お)い立(た)ち

おいたち
noun
upbringing, background
personfamily
1. upbringing, background, personal history
The circumstances of one's growth from childhood, including family environment, education, and experiences that shaped who one is today.
彼(かれ)の生(お)い立(た)ちを聞(き)いた。
I heard about his upbringing.
複雑(ふくざつ)な生(お)い立(た)ちを持(も)っている。
They have a complicated background.
作家(さっか)の生(お)い立(た)ちを知(し)ると、作品(さくひん)の理解(りかい)が深(ふか)まることがある。
Knowing about an author's background can deepen your understanding of their works.

生(お)い立(た)ち refers to the narrative of how someone grew up — their family environment, upbringing, and experiences from childhood through adolescence.

Etymology

Noun form of the verb 生(お)い立(た)つ (to grow up).

Common collocations

  • 生(お)い立(た)ちを語(かた)る: to tell about one's upbringing
  • 生(お)い立(た)ちを聞(き)く: to hear about someone's background
  • 複雑(ふくざつ)な生(お)い立(た)ち: complicated background
  • 恵(めぐ)まれた生(お)い立(た)ち: privileged upbringing
  • 生(お)い立(た)ちの記(き): an account of one's early years (a common title for memoir pieces and school essays)

Usage

Common in biographical contexts, interviews, and wedding ceremonies. At Japanese weddings, the 生(お)い立(た)ちの紹介(しょうかい) (introduction of the couple's backgrounds) is a standard part of the program.

Related Words

Compare: 身(み)の上(うえ) (one's circumstances)
general
Added 2026.2.1 16:53 · Revised 2026.10.2 9:45
09000/09351_oitachi