活 means “lively, active, living”

かつ · katsu

Also: resuscitation, being helped

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

いきる, いかす, いける

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カツ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 2 · 9 strokes

The story

Picture water (氵) on a dry tongue (舌): the jolt of feeling alive again. 活 is life in motion: 生活 is daily life, 活動 activity, and it is the -katsu of 部活, school clubs, and 就活, job hunting.

Used in 生活 (seikatsu, daily life), 活動 (katsudou, activity), and 部活 (bukatsu, school club activities)

More from Life & Breath

• 歳 age
• 身 body
• 若 young
• 命 life
• 亡 pass away
• 老 old age
• 抱 hug
• 息 breath
• 吸 inhale
• 祖 ancestor
• 腹 belly
• 眠 sleep

Learn 活 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.