活 (huó) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 活 (huó) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 活 (huó) means "live / alive / work". It is an HSK Level 2 character, with 9 strokes and the radical 氵.

Q: How do you write 活 stroke by stroke?

活 has 9 strokes. The radical is 氵. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 活 and 㳄?

活 (huó) and 㳄 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 活?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 氵. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 活?

Common words containing 活 include: 生活 (shēng huó) — life; to live; 活动 (huó dòng) — activity / exercise; 干活 (gàn huó) — to work / to do manual labor.

How to Write 活

The character 活 (huó) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 氵 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

活 is pronounced huó in Mandarin Chinese. It means live / alive / work.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 活 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 活

生活 shēng huó

life; to live

活动 huó dòng

activity / exercise

干活 gàn huó

to work / to do manual labor

Example Sentences

他的生活很开心。

tā de shēng huó hěn kāi xīn

His life is very happy.

明天有学校活动。

míng tiān yǒu xué xiào huó dòng

There are school activities tomorrow.

爸爸在外面干活。

bà bà zài wài miàn gàn huó

Dad is working outside.

Similar Characters

㳄 xián

汧 qiān

汨 mì

Practice Writing 活 (huó)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 活 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 活

What does 活 (huó) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 活 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 活 and 㳄?

What mistakes do learners make writing 活?

What common words use 活?

How to Write 活 (huó)