生殖

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 生殖 is a noun read せいしょく, meaning biological reproduction through which organisms produce new individuals.
• Basic usage: It can refer to plant reproduction studied in science class or the reproductive process of fish shown in a diagram.
  • 理科の授業で植物の生殖を学んだ。 says that plant reproduction was studied in science class; この図は魚の生殖の過程を示している。 says that the diagram shows the reproductive process of fish.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 植物の生殖
  • の links the reproductive phenomenon to the plants being studied.
• 生殖の過程
  • The first の links reproduction to fish, and the second links the process to reproduction.
• 生殖 and 成長
  • 生殖 produces new individuals, while 成長 is the growth and development of one organism.