Japanese meaning of 弱肉強食
Reading:
じゃくにくきょうしょく (jaku niku kyō shoku)
English Translation:
Survival of the fittest
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Achieving success by overpowering the weak, a concept emphasizing survival of the fittest.
Cultural Context:
Often used in politics, economics, and business to describe highly competitive situations.
弱い者が強い者に支配されること。生存競争の厳しさを表す。
政治や経済、ビジネスなどの激しい競争環境を表す際によく使われる。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase used as a subject or object without particles in set expressions.
Trap for English Speakers
English speakers may mistakenly translate it literally as “the weak eat the strong,” losing the idiomatic sense of competition.
Example
Basic Example
この業界は弱肉強食だから、常に努力しないと生き残れない。
In this industry, it’s survival of the fittest, so you must constantly work hard to survive.
Applied Example
弱肉強食の世界で、彼は生き残るために牙を研いだ。
In a world where the weak are prey to the strong, he sharpened his fangs to survive.