活泼 (huó pō) is an adjective meaning 'lively' or 'vivacious' — describing someone or something full of energy, enthusiasm, and cheerful spontaneity. The first character 活 means 'alive' or 'living', suggesting vitality and responsiveness; the second character 泼 originally means 'to splash' but here evokes dynamism and unrestrained expression. Together, they form a vivid compound that emphasizes energetic, engaging, and socially warm behavior — especially common when describing children, pets, or artistic performances.

While often used for people (especially young ones), 活泼 also applies to animals, styles (e.g., a lively dance style), or even tones of voice and writing. It carries a positive, affectionate connotation — never negative or critical. Unlike some adjectives in Chinese, 活泼 is rarely used predicatively without a degree word like 很 or 特别; it typically appears after a subject with 是 or as a descriptive modifier before a noun (e.g., 活泼的孩子).