活用

• Reading: かつよう
• Romaji: katsuyou
• Kanji breakdown: 活 (katsu) — lively, active; 用 (yō) — use, employ
• Pronunciation: /ka.tsɯ.joː/

Meaning

Conjugation; practical use. Making effective use of something, or verb/adjective inflection in grammar.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (活用する). Has two distinct meanings: (1) practical application — putting resources, skills, or knowledge to good use (経験を活用する, to utilise experience), and (2) grammatical conjugation of verbs and adjectives (動詞の活用, verb conjugation). Both senses share the core idea of 'activating something for a purpose.'

Examples

1. この辞書を活用して勉強している。 I'm studying by making good use of this dictionary.
2. 空いた時間を活用して資格の勉強をした。 I used my free time to study for a certification.
3. 日本語の動詞の活用は最初は難しい。 Japanese verb conjugation is tough at first.

Usage Guide

Context: study, business, grammar

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 活 (katsu, lively/active) and 用 (yō, use/employ). Together, 'lively use' — putting something actively to work rather than letting it sit idle.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal