生計
せいけい · seikei · JLPT N1 · noun
support
💰 生 (life) + 計 (plan, count) = counting out how you keep life going
生計 is life (生) plus planning or counting (計), so it means the means you plan and count on to keep yourself alive. Think of it as the income that sustains a life.
生 — sprout 屮 above earth 土
Originally a pictograph showing a young plant sprouting from the ground, with 屮 (a sprout) above 土 (earth). The core meaning is 'to be born, to grow, to live,' which extends to 'raw, unripe, unfamiliar.' The modern form has simplified the sprout shape but preserves the image of new growth emerging from soil.