活 vs 生活

活 (huó) and 生活 (shēnghuó) both relate to "living" or "being alive", but they have different meanings and usage.

1. 活 (huó) – "Alive / Live / Survive"

Meaning & Usage:

"Alive" (not dead) → Describes a state of being alive.

✅ "他还活着。" (Tā hái huózhe.) – "He is still alive."

✅ "这条鱼是活的。" (Zhè tiáo yú shì huó de.) – "This fish is alive."

"To live / survive" (verb) → Often used in short phrases or dramatic contexts.

✅ "活到100岁" (huó dào 100 suì) – "Live to 100 years old."

✅ "活下去" (huó xiàqù) – "Keep living / Survive."

"Work / labor" (noun, less common) → E.g., "干活" (gàn huó) – "Do manual labor."

Key Idea:

活 (huó) focuses on being alive physically or survival.

Often used in short, direct expressions (e.g., "活着" – "alive").

2. 生活 (shēnghuó) – "Life / Daily Living"

Meaning & Usage:

"Life" (noun) → Refers to daily existence, lifestyle, or living conditions.

✅ "我的生活很幸福。" (Wǒ de shēnghuó hěn xìngfú.) – "My life is very happy."

✅ "城市生活 vs. 农村生活" (chéngshì shēnghuó vs. nóngcūn shēnghuó) – "City life vs. rural life."

"To live / make a living" (verb) → Describes how someone lives (job, habits, etc.).

✅ "他在北京生活了十年。" (Tā zài Běijīng shēnghuó le shí nián.) – "He lived in Beijing for 10 years."

✅ "靠写作生活" (kào xiězuò shēnghuó) – "Make a living by writing."

Key Idea:

生活 (shēnghuó) refers to lifestyle, daily routines, or living conditions.

More general and abstract than 活 (huó).

Comparison Table

Key Differences

Meaning:

活 (huó) → "Alive / Survive" (physical state).

生活 (shēnghuó) → "Life / Daily Living" (lifestyle).

Grammar:

活 (huó) → Mostly a verb or adjective (rarely a noun).

生活 (shēnghuó) → Noun or verb (more abstract).

Usage:

活 (huó) → Used in short, direct phrases (e.g., "活着" – "alive").

生活 (shēnghuó) → Used in general descriptions of life (e.g., "日常生活" – "daily life").

When to Use Which?

Use 活 (huó) when:

Talking about being alive (e.g., "他还活着").

Expressing survival (e.g., "活下去" – "keep living").

Use 生活 (shēnghuó) when:

Describing daily life (e.g., "我的生活很忙").

Talking about living conditions (e.g., "在中国生活" – "live in China").