Radical 氵

9 strokes

water 氵 (78a) + tongue 舌 (457a) = alive 活

This also means “lively” or “active”.

活儿 (21) huór (manual) work, job

活动 (58) huódòng activity, (physical) exercise

生活 (133) shēnghuó a life; to live (a life)

(In the desert you find someone lying on the sand) You put your last drops of water on their tongue to revive them, hoping they’re still alive. / The ghostly fairy who guards desert travelers suddenly notices what’s going on, and flies up with a magic hosepipe (to refill your water bottle).