TongTong
Sign in

成活 (chéng huó) — to survive (after a critical period, illness, or in harsh conditions)

Definition

成活 (chénghuó) means to survive and continue living — typically used for patients, transplanted plants, or young animals after a critical stage. Used in technical contexts (e.g. 成活率 'survival rate') rather than everyday talk about people.

verb
to survive (after a critical period, illness, or in harsh conditions)

Examples

  • 成活。
    Shǒu shù hòu bìng rén chéng huó le.
    The patient survived after the surgery.
  • 成活。
    Zhè zhòng shù zài gān hàn dì qū yě néng chéng huó.
    This kind of tree can also survive in arid areas.
  • 成活。
    Yí zhí de zhí wù chéng huó lǜ hěn gāo.
    The survival rate of transplanted plants is very high.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

成chéngbecome
活huóalive

成 means to become and 活 means alive, so the word expresses coming through and living.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →
Appears in
Success & Failure

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.