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JLPT N26画 · 6 strokesradical 水grade 2freq #420

live, active, lively

On'yomi (音読み)

  • カツ
  • カチ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • いきる
  • いける
  • かつ.やく

Mnemonic

A lively river (水) flows through Asia (亜), bringing vibrant life and activity to everything in its path.

About this kanji

The kanji 活 primarily means to live or to be active, reflecting a sense of liveliness. It is commonly used as both a noun and a verb. For example, the compound 生活 (せいかつ), meaning "life," describes the way one lives, while 活動 (かつどう), meaning "activity," refers to actions and efforts one engages in. Another useful compound is 活用 (かつよう), which means "practical use" and often relates to using knowledge effectively. A notable usage note is that when you see this kanji, it frequently evokes a feeling of energy and vibrancy, so it's often associated with activities or states that are busy and lively.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 彼の活動は素晴らしいです。

    His activity is wonderful.

Meanings across languages

English
live, active, lively
Tiếng Việt
sống, hoạt động, sinh động
日本語
生きる, 活発
한국어
활발한
中文
活的
id
hidup
th
มีชีวิต
es
vivo
fr
vivant
de
lebendig
pt
vivo

Common compounds

  • 生活せいかつlife, living
  • 活動かつどうactivity, action
  • 活用かつようpractical use, application
  • 活気かっきvitality, energy

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