生身(なまみ)

A compound of 生(なま) (raw, living) and 身(み) (body). Emphasizes the vulnerability and reality of the physical human body.

Usage

Almost always appears in the phrase 生身(なまみ)の人間(にんげん) (a flesh-and-blood human) or 生身(なまみ)の体(からだ) (a mortal body). Used when contrasting real people with machines, virtual beings, or superhuman entities. Carries a nuance of human vulnerability and physicality.

Common collocations

• 生身(なまみ)の人間(にんげん) — a real, flesh-and-blood human
• 生身(なまみ)の体(からだ) — a mortal/physical body
• 生身(なまみ)で — with one's bare body; unprotected

Related words

• 肉体(にくたい) — physical body; the body as opposed to the mind or spirit
• 素手(すで) — bare hands; without tools or weapons
• 本人(ほんにん) — the person themselves; in person