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Expressing 'alive' with 活 (huó)
Existence & Possession
Structure
Subject + 活 + Complement
Explanation
活 (huó) means 'alive' or 'to live.' When used as an adjective or verb, it describes the state of being alive or surviving. It frequently appears in phrases like 活到 (to live until) to express lifespan or duration of life.
Examples
那棵老树看起来枯了，但根还是活的。
nà kē lǎo shù kàn qǐlái kū le, dàn gēn háishì huó de.
That old tree looks dead, but its roots are still alive.
他在那场事故中活了下来，真是奇迹。
tā zài nà chǎng shìgù zhōng huó le xiàlái, zhēnshi qíjì.
He survived that accident — it was truly a miracle.
这条鱼还活着，快放回水里吧。
zhè tiáo yú hái huó zhe, kuài fàng huí shuǐ lǐ ba.
This fish is still alive — quick, put it back in the water.