寄生

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 寄生 (きせい) is a noun and suru-verb for parasitism, in which an organism lives on or depends on another for resources.
• Basic usage: The host is marked with に, and the word is used to describe relationships among organisms.
  • この虫は木の根に寄生して育つ。 — This insect grows by living parasitically on tree roots.
  • 授業で寄生する生物の関係を図にまとめた。 — In class, we diagrammed relationships involving parasitic organisms.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Parasitism and symbiosis
  • 共生 broadly describes organisms living together, while 寄生 focuses on one organism obtaining benefit by depending on another.