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Kotomora

活

lively, resuscitation, being helped, living

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 200Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • カツ

Kun'yomi

  • い.きる
  • い.かす
  • い.ける

Meaning

活 centers on the idea of life and vitality: being lively, active, or living. The resuscitation and being helped senses are natural extensions of restoring life or energy.

Most common words using 活

24 of 452
  • 生活せいかつ
    N5

    life; living

  • 活動かつどう
    N3

    activity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.); action; operation

  • 活躍かつやく
    N3

    activity (esp. energetic or successful); great efforts; active participation

  • 復活ふっかつ
    N1

    revival (of an old system, custom, fashion, etc.); restoration; return; comeback

  • 活用かつよう
    N3

    practical use; application; making good use of; putting to good use; capitalizing on

  • 活性かっせい

    activity

  • 活発かっぱつ
    N2

    lively; active; vigorous; animated; brisk

  • 部活ぶかつ

    club activities; extracurricular activities

  • 就活しゅうかつ

    job hunting; job searching

  • 食生活しょくせいかつ
    N1

    eating habits; diet; dietary pattern

  • 私生活しせいかつ

    private life

  • 活力かつりょく
    N2

    vitality; energy; dynamism

  • 活気かっき
    N3

    energy; vigour; vigor; liveliness; spirit; life; animation

  • 活字かつじ
    N2

    (piece of) type; movable type; moveable type; printing type

  • 快活かいかつ

    cheerful; lively; lighthearted

  • 死活しかつ

    life and death; life or death

  • 活路かつろ

    means of survival; means of escape; way out of a difficulty

  • 活況かっきょう

    activity; briskness; prosperity

  • 自活じかつ
    N1

    self-support

  • 活動家かつどうか

    activist

  • クラブ活動クラブかつどう
    N3

    club activities (usu. clubs in association with a school); extracurricular activities

  • 日常生活にちじょうせいかつ
    N3

    everyday life; daily life

  • 生活費せいかつひ
    N3

    living expenses

  • 新生活しんせいかつ

    new life; fresh start; new routine

Explore all words using 活 →

Study

Etymology

活 combines 氵 (water) with 舌 (tongue), likely suggesting the idea of water flowing and bringing life, or the tongue as a sign of life. The exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 and tongue 舌 together suggest life: water sustains living things, and a moving tongue shows liveliness. Picture a lively stream where a tongue drinks and comes alive.

Reading mnemonic

For カツ, imagine a lively cat splashing in the water: cat -> カツ, and the water brings the cat to life.