ライフライン

らいふらいん
noun
essential utilities; lifeline
society
1. essential utilities; lifeline (water, gas, electricity)
The basic infrastructure services essential for daily life, including water, electricity, gas, and telecommunications. In Japanese usage, this loanword specifically refers to these utility systems, especially in disaster contexts.
地震(じしん)でライフラインが止(と)まった。
The earthquake knocked out essential utilities.
ライフラインの復旧(ふっきゅう)に時間(じかん)がかかっている。
It is taking time to restore essential utilities.
災害(さいがい)時(じ)に備(そな)えて、ライフラインが途絶(とぜつ)えても数日間(すうじつかん)生活(せいかつ)できる準備(じゅんび)をしておくべきだ。
You should prepare to survive for several days without utilities in case of a disaster.

Usage

A wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English) usage. In English, "lifeline" means a rope or rescue line, but in Japanese it specifically refers to essential utility infrastructure. This word became widely used after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.19 15:58 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17500/17864_raifurain