<p>生活 is life as in "family life/private life/sex life/working life".
生命 is life as in "Cats are supposed to have nine lives/He lost his life in an accident"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-13T23:30:10.527Z
They are totally different, though they share the same word "life" in English.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-14T08:52:43.857Z
More precisely, 生活 is lifestyle. Also note that the word 命 alone means fate or destiny.
SOFe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-14T15:39:15.073Z
examples：生活：他们过着紧张忙碌的生活。她过的是安逸闲适的生活。（实用英汉词典）生命？ 按说猫有九条命,lost his life:战斗中阵亡了，也丢了性命，牺牲了,丧生，送了命（jukuu）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T04:12:38.480Z
@PEMapModder 命 alone doesn't necessarily mean fate. It can mean fate / lifespan / life as in "he lost his life in an accident".
ltux
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T07:10:14.487Z
@PEMapModder 生活 does not directly mean _lifestyle_.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T08:42:26.393Z
answer in dictionaries, e.g. **zdic** , some users found answer by examining e.g.jukuu's examples: **生命** :used in context of ～ and death 死亡隶属于生命，正与生一样, saving ～,挽救她的生命,～ span 生命期,～ has a limit, 生命有限,～ after death 他坚信死后仍有生命,～ at stake 生命安全受到威胁， **生活**  ： 生活风格，生活环境中，生活目标，生活的复杂，模拟现实生活，生活可以继续，in many contexts neither of 生命,生活 may be the appropriate C. equivalent for "life" .
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-16T05:49:15.880Z
@ltux when 命 is used _alone_. If it means _life_, it must be paired with other words, like 生命, 人命, but if alone, it should mean _fate_, like 命苦, 命好, which are two words, not one compound word. Of course, 命 can also mean order/command, but it is not related to this question.
SOFe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-16T07:03:18.873Z
@PEMapModder. It doesn't have to be paired with other words. Life as in "he lost his life in an accident" : 救命，一条命，丧了命. Lifespan: 短命. I guess the discussion will eventually fall into what constitute a *compound word*.
ltux
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-13T20:08:45.997Z
2016-07-13T20:08:45.997Z
ltux
<p>生活 - everyday life.<br>
生命 - from birth to death.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-14T12:48:19.833Z
2016-07-14T12:48:19.833Z
Enrico Brasil
<p>Both 生活 and 生命 mean "life". Both can be modified by "好" (好生活/好生命). Like any language, I don't believe two words ever mean the exact identical thing. If anybody could point me to the subtle (or not so subtle) differences between the two words, I would be most grateful. Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-14T13:16:07.593Z
"生活" is the external situation where one lives while "生命" is a identity of every living creature.
Zack Ni
<word-choice><word><synonyms>
Difference between 生活 and 生命
# Difference between 生活 and 生命

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-13)

Both 生活 and 生命 mean "life". Both can be modified by "好" (好生活/好生命). Like any language, I don't believe two words ever mean the exact identical thing. If anybody could point me to the subtle (or not so subtle) differences between the two words, I would be most grateful. Thanks!

**Tags:** word-choice, word, synonyms

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "生活" is the external situation where one lives while "生命" is a identity of every living creature.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-07-13. Score: 5

生活 is life as in "family life/private life/sex life/working life".
生命 is life as in "Cats are supposed to have nine lives/He lost his life in an accident"

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: They are totally different, though they share the same word "life" in English.  
> **username_4**: More precisely, 生活 is lifestyle. Also note that the word 命 alone means fate or destiny.  
> **username_5**: examples：生活：他们过着紧张忙碌的生活。她过的是安逸闲适的生活。（实用英汉词典）生命？ 按说猫有九条命,lost his life:战斗中阵亡了，也丢了性命，牺牲了,丧生，送了命（jukuu）  
> **username_2**: @PEMapModder 命 alone doesn't necessarily mean fate. It can mean fate / lifespan / life as in "he lost his life in an accident".  
> **username_6**: @PEMapModder 生活 does not directly mean _lifestyle_.  
> **username_5**: answer in dictionaries, e.g. **zdic** , some users found answer by examining e.g.jukuu's examples: **生命** :used in context of ～ and death 死亡隶属于生命，正与生一样, saving ～,挽救她的生命,～ span 生命期,～ has a limit, 生命有限,～ after death 他坚信死后仍有生命,～ at stake 生命安全受到威胁， **生活**  ： 生活风格，生活环境中，生活目标，生活的复杂，模拟现实生活，生活可以继续，in many contexts neither of 生命,生活 may be the appropriate C. equivalent for "life" .  
> **username_4**: @username_2 when 命 is used _alone_. If it means _life_, it must be paired with other words, like 生命, 人命, but if alone, it should mean _fate_, like 命苦, 命好, which are two words, not one compound word. Of course, 命 can also mean order/command, but it is not related to this question.  
> **username_2**: @PEMapModder. It doesn't have to be paired with other words. Life as in "he lost his life in an accident" : 救命，一条命，丧了命. Lifespan: 短命. I guess the discussion will eventually fall into what constitute a *compound word*.  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2016-07-14. Score: 2

生活 - everyday life.  
生命 - from birth to death.


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