1.
flesh-and-blood; real; living
Made of living flesh, as opposed to something artificial, mechanical, or abstract. Emphasizes the physical, vulnerable, or genuinely human nature of a person.
生身の人間にはできないことだ。
It's something that a flesh-and-blood human can't do.
ロボットではなく生身の人と話したい。
I want to talk to a real person, not a robot.
スクリーンの向こうには生身の人間がいることを忘れてはいけない。
You must not forget that there are real people on the other side of the screen.
生身 literally means "raw flesh" or "living body." With the particle の, it functions as an adjective meaning "flesh-and-blood" or "real." The word emphasizes physical vulnerability, genuine humanity, or the contrast between living beings and machines, digital representations, or fictional characters.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 生身の人間: a flesh-and-blood person
- 生身の体: a living body
- 生身の声: a real (in-person) voice
- 生身で戦う: to fight with one's bare body
USAGE:
Often used in contexts contrasting humans with machines, AI, fictional characters, or online personas. Carries a nuance of vulnerability and authenticity.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 本物の: real, genuine — broader term for authenticity, not limited to living things
- 肉体: physical body, flesh — focuses on the body itself rather than the quality of being alive
- 素手: bare hands — specifically about using no tools or weapons