活该
Old HSK 6
活该 (huógāi) · it serves sb right
活该 (huógāi) means “it serves sb right”. It is written with 2 characters: 活 (to live) + 该 (should). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).
How 活该 is built
The characters
活 huó · to live
What 活 is made of
- 氵shuǐ — water
- 舌shé — tongue
- 千qiān — thousand
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 十 — ten
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 千qiān — thousand
Origin hint: 氵 gives the meaning, 舌 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
该 gāi · should
What 该 is made of
- 讠yán — speech
- 亥hài — 12th terrestrial branch
- 亠tóu — lid
- 丶 — dot
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亠tóu — lid
Origin hint: 讠 gives the meaning, 亥 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
不带伞被雨淋了，活该！Bú dài sǎn bèi yǔ lín le, huógāi!You didn't bring an umbrella and got wet; serves you right!
他总迟到，被老师批评也是活该。Tā zǒng chídào, bèi lǎoshī pīpíng yě shì huógāi.He's always late, so he deserved the teacher's criticism.
Questions about 活该
What does 活该 mean?
活该 (huógāi) means “it serves sb right”.
How do you pronounce 活该?
活该 is pronounced huógāi.
Which HSK level is 活该?
活该 is in Old HSK 6.
Related words
- 干活儿gànhuórto work
- 活动huódòngactivity
- 生活shēnghuólife
- 活泼huópolively
- 活跃huóyuèlively
- 灵活línghuóflexible
- 复活fùhuóto come back to life
- 活力huólìenergy
- 快活kuàihuohappy
- 活huóto live
Learn 活该 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 83: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.