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活殺 (かっさつ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

活かっ殺さつ

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Meanings

1

noun

life or death; life and death

Refers to the critical boundary between life and death; often used in contexts like martial arts, medical emergencies, or philosophical discussions.

活かっ殺さつ自じ在ざいの技わざを持もつ武ぶ道どう家か。
A martial artist who has techniques that can freely give life or take it.
医い師しは活かっ殺さつの判はん断だんを迫せまられることがある。
Doctors are sometimes forced to make life-or-death decisions.

Kanji

活lively, resuscitation, being helped
殺kill, murder, butcher

Similar words

死し活かつ
死活 also means life or death, but is more common in everyday contexts like business or games (e.g., 死活問題). 活殺 is rarer and carries a nuance of actively controlling life and death, often in martial or philosophical settings.

Etymology

Compound of 活 (life, activity) and 殺 (kill, death). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a Sino-Japanese word (kango) likely coined in Japanese from Chinese morphemes.