活物 (huó wù) — live animal; living creature | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'living thing' — a creature as a living organism, often contrasted with food or objects. Emphasizes that it is animate/alive rather than its species.

noun

live animalliving creature

Measure word · 只

Examples

活物，。
Tā zài shì chǎng shàng mǎi le yì xiē huó wù, zhǔn bèi yòng lái diào yú.
He bought some live bait at the market, planning to use them for fishing.
活物。
Dòng wù yuán lǐ de huó wù dōu xū yào dìng qī jiǎn chá shēn tǐ.
The living animals in the zoo need regular health check-ups.
活物。
Zhè ge shuǐ zú guǎn shōu jí le hěn duō zhēn xī huó wù.
This aquarium collects many rare living creatures.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

活 means alive and 物 means thing, so together they refer to a living creature.

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

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.

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

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals Biology

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