1.
survival of the fittest
The principle that organisms best adapted to their environment are most likely to survive and reproduce. Also used metaphorically for competitive situations in business and society.
自然界は適者生存の世界だ。
The natural world is a world of survival of the fittest.
ビジネスの世界でも適者生存の原理が働く。
The principle of survival of the fittest operates in the business world too.
適者生存という考え方は、ダーウィンの進化論に由来する。
The concept of survival of the fittest originates from Darwin's theory of evolution.
A four-character compound: 適者 (the fit, the adapted) + 生存 (survival). The Japanese translation of Herbert Spencer's phrase 'survival of the fittest,' later associated with Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory.
USAGE:
Used in biology, social commentary, and business contexts. In biology, it describes natural selection. Metaphorically, it describes cutthroat competition where only the strongest or most adaptable survive.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 適者生存の法則 — the law of survival of the fittest
- 適者生存の原理 — the principle of survival of the fittest
- 適者生存の世界 — a world of survival of the fittest
RELATED TERMS:
- 自然淘汰 — natural selection; the biological mechanism behind the concept
- 弱肉強食 — the strong prey on the weak; a more dramatic four-character idiom with similar meaning
- 競争原理 — principle of competition; used in economics and business