1Raw, uncooked, or fresh — describing food or ingredients in their unheated, unprocessed state (e.g., 生魚 raw fish, 生肉 raw meat, 生野菜 fresh vegetables).
寿司屋で新鮮な生魚を食べた。
I had fresh raw fish at a sushi restaurant.
生肉は必ずよく加熱してから食べてください。
Please be sure to cook raw meat thoroughly before eating.
生野菜はドレッシングをかけて食べるのが好きだ。
I like eating raw vegetables with dressing.
この卵は生のまま食べられる。
This egg can be eaten raw.
2Natural, unedited, or unprocessed — referring to material left in its original state (e.g., 生データ raw data, 生の映像 unedited footage).
分析に使うので、まず生データをください。
I'll need to analyze it, so please send me the raw data first.
監督は編集前の生の映像をチェックしていた。
The director was checking the unedited raw footage.
加工していない生の声をそのまま届けたい。
I want to deliver the raw, unfiltered voices as they are.
3Colloquial/vulgar slang for unprotected sex (i.e., without a condom). Considered crude and avoided in public or polite contexts.
4Live — performed or broadcast in real time, not recorded (as in 生放送 live broadcast, 生中継 live coverage, 生演奏 live performance).
今夜のコンサートは生放送で全国に流れる。
Tonight's concert will be broadcast live nationwide.
家族みんなで試合の生中継を見た。
The whole family watched the live broadcast of the game.
生演奏ならではの迫力があった。
There was a force to it that only a live performance can have.
5Inexperienced, unpolished, or green — describing someone or something not yet fully developed or refined.
新人の演技はまだ生で、これから磨いていく必要がある。
The newcomer's acting is still raw and needs polishing from here on.
彼の仕事ぶりはまだ生で、細やかさに欠ける。
His work is still unpolished and lacks attention to detail.
6Slang abbreviation of 生意気 (namaiki, meaning impudent or cheeky). A limited colloquial usage that is not widespread.
7Abbreviation of 生ビール (draft beer). Commonly used when ordering at izakayas, as in 生、二つ！ (Two drafts, please!).
すみません、生を二つお願いします。
Excuse me, two drafts, please.
夏はやっぱり冷えた生が一番だ。
In summer, nothing beats a cold draft beer.
8Blank or unused — describing something unrecorded or empty (e.g., 生テープ blank tape, 生ディスク blank disk). Somewhat dated now that tapes are rarely used.
倉庫の奥から古い生テープが何本か出てきた。
Several old blank tapes turned up from the back of the storage room.
9A prefix meaning somewhat, partially, or half- (e.g., 生温かい lukewarm, 生乾き half-dry, 生ぬるい tepid).
冷蔵庫に入れ忘れて、スープが生温かくなってしまった。
I forgot to put the soup in the fridge and it went lukewarm.
洗濯物が生乾きのままだと嫌な臭いがする。
If laundry stays half-dry, it develops an unpleasant smell.
10A prefix meaning insufficient, half-baked, or half-hearted (e.g., 生半可 half-hearted, 生煮え half-cooked, 生意気 impudent).
生半可な気持ちではプロになれない。
You can't become a professional with half-hearted resolve.
鍋が生煮えのままだったので、もう少し火を通した。
The pot was still half-cooked, so I heated it a bit longer.
11Archaic: cash or money. Essentially obsolete in modern Japanese.
12An old colloquial abbreviation of 生酔い (slightly drunk / tipsy). Not used in modern Japanese.