活用する
かつようする·katsuyou suru
Meaning
to make use of; to utilize; to put to practical use; to leverage
Nuance & Usage
活用する means to use something to its full potential or to put something to practical, effective use. リソースを活用する (to utilize resources), スキルを活用する (to put one's skills to use), SNSを活用する (to leverage social media), 人材を活用する (to make the most of talent) are common in business contexts. The noun 活用 also has a grammatical meaning: verb/adjective conjugation (動詞の活用 — verb conjugation), which is used in language education. 有効活用 (yuukou katsuyou — effective utilization) is a compound used in formal reports.
Common Mistakes
Learners confuse 活用する with 使う (tsukau — to use, general), 利用する (riyou suru — to use/make use of, slightly formal), and 使用する (shiyou suru — to use, very formal). 活用する specifically emphasizes making the most of something's potential — it implies strategic, effective use, not just any usage. 有効に活用する (to use effectively) is redundant but commonly used for emphasis. The grammatical sense of 活用 (conjugation) is completely separate — context will make it clear.
Example Sentences (3)
留学で身につけた英語力を仕事でうまく活用できている。
りゅうがくでみにつけたえいごりょくをしごとでうまくかつようできている。
I'm able to effectively put the English skills I gained while studying abroad to use at work.
地域の空き家を活用して、シェアハウスを作るプロジェクトが始まった。
ちいきのあきやをかつようして、しぇあはうすをつくるぷろじぇくとがはじまった。
A project has started to make use of vacant houses in the area by turning them into shared housing.
AIを活用することで、業務の効率を大幅に上げることができます。
えーあいをかつようすることで、ぎょうむのこうりつをおおはばにあげることができます。
By leveraging AI, we can significantly improve work efficiency.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N24 questionsTest your knowledge of 活用する with 4 different question types.
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