verb / adjective HSK 4
Traditional 活著
to be alive · to live · living
Meaning
活着 means 'to be alive' or 'living' in the sense of existing or being in a state of life. It emphasizes the condition or state of being alive rather than the act of living. The 着 particle indicates a continuous or ongoing state.
Usage
Native speakers use 活着 to describe the state of being alive, often in contexts discussing survival, existence, or the value of life. It can carry emotional weight when discussing life's meaning or hardships. Common in both spoken and written Chinese, and is the title of Yu Hua's famous novel 'To Live'.
Examples
- 01只要还活着，就有希望。, .As long as you're still alive, there's hope.
- 02他很幸运能活着回来。.He was very lucky to come back alive.
Characters
Common collocations
- 活着就好it's good just to be alive
- 好好活着to live well, to live properly
- 还活着still alive
- 为了活着in order to live, for the sake of living
Antonyms
Origin
Combines 活 (to live/be alive) with the aspect particle 着, which indicates an ongoing state or condition. This grammatical construction emphasizes the continuous nature of being alive.