転生（てんせい、tensei）
- reincarnation

The Japanese word 転生 (てんせい, *tensei*) primarily means "reincarnation" or "rebirth." It refers to the concept of a soul or spirit being reborn into a new body after death. In a broader sense, it can also imply a significant transformation or a complete change in something's form or nature. This can range from spiritual rebirth to a metaphorical transformation. The term often carries connotations of a cycle of life, death, and renewal.

⚫︎異世界転生 Translation: Reincarnation into another world ⚫︎彼は小説の主人公に転生した Translation: He reincarnated as the protagonist of the novel. ⚫︎会社の経営が転生した Translation: The company's management was completely transformed.

⚫︎転生 is most commonly used in contexts related to reincarnation, particularly in fantasy or science fiction. ⚫︎It's also employed to describe drastic changes or transformations, such as in business, art, or personal development. ⚫︎You'll often encounter this word in anime, manga, light novels, and video games where reincarnation is a central theme. ⚫︎When discussing literal reincarnation, it is often associated with religious or spiritual beliefs.

⚫︎The word is written using the kanji 転生. ⚫︎The reading is てんせい (tensei) in hiragana. ⚫︎The kanji 転 means "to turn, revolve, change," and 生 means "life, birth." ⚫︎There are no significant variations in okurigana.

⚫︎生まれ変わり (*umarekawari*): Reincarnation, rebirth ⚫︎生まれ変わる (*umarekawaru*): To be reborn (verb) ⚫︎再生 (*saisei*): Rebirth, regeneration (can be used metaphorically)

⚫︎死 (*shi*): Death ⚫︎消滅 (*shoumetsu*): Annihilation, disappearance ⚫︎滅亡 (*metsubou*): Destruction, ruin

その小説は、死んだ主人公が別の世界に転生する物語だ。 ・Translation: That novel is a story about the deceased protagonist reincarnating into another world. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the typical usage of 転生 in a fantasy context where the protagonist dies and is reborn.

彼は大きな失敗から学び、まるで人が転生したかのように成長した。 ・Translation: He learned from a big failure and grew as if he had been reborn. ・Explanation: This example uses 転生 metaphorically to describe a significant personal transformation after a difficult experience.

The word 転生 is formed from the combination of two kanji: 転 (ten), which means "to turn" or "to revolve," and 生 (sei), meaning "life" or "birth." This combination reflects the idea of turning or changing into a new life or form, accurately capturing the essence of reincarnation and transformation.