生命 (shēng mìng) literally combines 生 (shēng), meaning 'to be born' or 'to live', and 命 (mìng), meaning 'life' or 'destiny'. Together, they form a core noun meaning 'life' in both biological and abstract senses — referring to the condition that distinguishes living organisms from inanimate matter, as well as to life as a concept, value, or experience. It’s used broadly: in biology ('human life', 'marine life'), medicine ('save a life'), philosophy ('meaning of life'), and everyday speech ('protect life', 'value life').

Unlike the more colloquial word 活 (huó, 'to live') or the poetic 气息 (qìxī, 'breath'), 生命 carries weight and formality — it appears frequently in news headlines, scientific texts, ethical discussions, and solemn expressions. It can be modified by adjectives like 宝贵 (bǎoguì, 'precious') or 短暂 (duǎnzàn, 'brief'), and often appears with verbs like 尊重 (zūnzhòng, 'to respect'), 保护 (bǎohù, 'to protect'), or 失去 (shīqù, 'to lose').