Recognize 活 in 生活, 活動 and 活用; learn each complete word in context.

The idea

生活 (せいかつ) means daily life; living; 活動 (かつどう) means activity; action; 活用 (かつよう) means effective use; application. 活 has 9 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram to write them in order. Learn each reading with its word. Sino-Japanese reading: カツ（活動）.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
生活せいかつdaily life; living
活動かつどうactivity; action
活用かつようeffective use; application

Examples

  • 東京とうきょうでの生活せいかつに慣なれました。I have grown accustomed to life in Tokyo.
  • 規則きそく正ただしい生活せいかつを心こころがけています。I try to keep a regular daily routine.
  • 地域ちいきの清掃せいそう活動かつどうに参加さんかします。I take part in a local clean-up activity.
  • この団体だんたいは海外かいがいでも活動かつどうしています。This organization is also active overseas.
  • 図書館としょかんを活用かつようして日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I make good use of the library to study Japanese.
  • これまでの経験けいけんを仕事しごとに活用かつようしてください。Please put your experience to good use at work.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

生活 refers to how people live day to day, while 活動 describes an activity. 活用 emphasizes making effective use of something; it is not merely having it available. Compare 活 and 括; their components differ: 活＝氵＋舌；括＝扌＋舌.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 生活 in hiragana.

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    せいかつ

    生活 is read せいかつ and means daily life; living.

  2. Write the reading of 活動 in hiragana.

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    かつどう

    活動 is read かつどう and means activity; action.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿用（かつよう）.

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    活

    活 completes 活用, read かつよう; the word means effective use; application.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 活 from memory, then read 生活 and 活動 aloud and make a sentence with one of them.