1.
life and death; life or death; survival
The matter of whether something lives or dies, survives or perishes. Most commonly used in the compound 死活問題 (matter of life and death) to describe critically important issues.
Composed of 死 (death) + 活 (life, living). Almost always appears in fixed expressions rather than being used independently.
Common patterns
- 死活問題: matter of life and death; critically important issue
- 死活に関わる: relating to survival; of vital importance
- 死活を制する: to determine life or death; to hold the key to survival
- 死活的に重要: vitally important
Usage
While the literal meaning is 'life and death,' 死活問題 is commonly used figuratively for any issue of critical importance — for a business, an industry, a career, etc. — not just situations involving actual physical danger.