生(お)い立(た)ち

おいたち

noun

upbringing, background

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): record of one's upbringing (often read at weddings)

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 2026.9.2 13:01

09000/09351_oitachi