Usage note
生存的意思是活着，比如动物在野外生存需要食物和水。
Shēng cún de yì si shì huó zhe, bǐ rú dòng wù zài yě wài shēng cún xū yào shí wù hé shuǐ.
Survive means to stay alive, such as animals in the wild needing food and water to survive.
Context note
在沙漠里，骆驼可以很长时间不喝水，它们有很强的生存能力。
Zài shā mò lǐ, luò tuo kě yǐ hěn cháng shí jiān bù hē shuǐ, tā men yǒu hěn qiáng de shēng cún néng lì.
In the desert, camels can go a long time without water; they have strong survival abilities.
5 examples
植物需要阳光才能生存。
zhí wù xū yào yáng guāng cái néng shēng cún。
Plants need sunlight to survive.
小鱼在水里生存。
xiǎo yú zài shuǐ lǐ shēng cún。
Small fish survive in water.
人类需要空气和水来生存。
rén lèi xū yào kōng qì hé shuǐ lái shēng cún。
Humans need air and water to survive.
北极熊在寒冷的地方生存。
běi jí xióng zài hán lěng de dì fāng shēng cún。
Polar bears survive in cold places.
我们要保护环境，让动物好好生存。
wǒ men yào bǎo hù huán jìng， ràng dòng wù hǎo hǎo shēng cún。
We should protect the environment so animals can survive well.
5 mini stories
小蚂蚁在冬天储存食物，为了生存。它们很聪明。
xiǎo mǎ yǐ zài dōng tiān chǔ cún shí wù， wèi le shēng cún。 tā men hěn cōng ming。
Little ants store food in winter to survive. They are very smart.
仙人掌在沙漠里生存。它不需要很多水。
xiān rén zhǎng zài shā mò lǐ shēng cún。 tā bù xū yào hěn duō shuǐ。
Cacti survive in the desert. They don't need much water.
小松鼠收集坚果，为了冬天生存。它很勤劳。
xiǎo sōng shǔ shōu jí jiān guǒ， wèi le dōng tiān shēng cún。 tā hěn qín láo。
The little squirrel collects nuts to survive the winter. It is very hardworking.
企鹅在冰天雪地里生存。它们抱在一起取暖。
qǐ é zài bīng tiān xuě dì lǐ shēng cún。 tā men bào zài yì qǐ qǔ nuǎn。
Penguins survive in icy and snowy places. They huddle together to keep warm.
小树苗努力生长，为了生存。它需要阳光和雨露。
xiǎo shù miáo nǔ lì shēng zhǎng， wèi le shēng cún。 tā xū yào yáng guāng hé yǔ lù。
The little sapling grows hard to survive. It needs sunlight and rain.
Mini dialogue
动物生存
A
动物需要什么来生存？
Dòngwù xūyào shénme lái shēngcún?
What do animals need to survive?
B
它们需要食物和水来生存。
Tāmen xūyào shíwù hé shuǐ lái shēngcún.
They need food and water to survive.
植物生存
A
植物在沙漠里很难生存。
Zhíwù zài shāmò lǐ hěn nán shēngcún.
Plants find it hard to survive in the desert.
B
但是仙人掌可以在那里生存。
Dànshì xiānrénzhǎng kěyǐ zài nàlǐ shēngcún.
But cacti can survive there.
Related words and contrasts
related
生活
shēng huó
to live, life
生活 refers to daily life, while 生存 focuses on basic survival.
similar
存活
cún huó
to stay alive
存活 is a near-synonym for 生存, often used in biology.
opposite
死亡
sǐ wáng
death
死亡 is the opposite of 生存.