dong (动) — to move, to act, to stir in Chinese

simplified

traditional

dòng

to move · to act · to stir · to set in motion · to be moved

HSK 1 笔画 6 (简) · 11 (繁) 部首力 (strength) 声调第四声 (falling) all dong readings →

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笔顺 bǐshùn · Stroke order

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字源 zìyuán Etymology & Structure

字源洞见 zìyuán dòngjiàn · Etymological Insight

The traditional form 動 = 重 (zhòng, the phonetic) + 力 (lì, force). The right-hand 力 is the picture of a plough or a flexed arm, the radical of strength and effort; the left-hand 重 supplies the sound. Force applied to a heavy thing makes it move, and that is the heart of the character: 动 is what happens when strength is brought to bear. The simplified form 动 keeps 力 on the right and reduces the left to 云, but the meaning is unchanged: the radical of strength tells you this character is about things being made to move.

From the single idea of force-producing-motion, the meanings spread:

1. To move, to act physically. The literal sense: 运动 yùndòng (to exercise; sport; a movement), 活动 huódòng (activity), 动作 dòngzuò (a movement, an action).
2. To stir, to be moved within. Motion of the heart rather than the body: 感动 gǎndòng (to be moved, touched), 激动 jīdòng (stirred up, excited).
3. To set in motion, to drive. The starting force: 动力 dònglì (motive power, drive), 发动 fādòng (to launch, to start an engine).
4. The grammatical "action word." Because 动 is action itself, the verb is named after it: 动词 dòngcí (verb), literally "action-word."

The thread is force becoming movement. Whether the thing moved is a body, a heart, a machine, or a sentence, 动 is the moment stillness gives way to motion under some applied strength.

构词 gòucí Word-Formation Patterns

构词规律 gòucí guīlǜ · Force Becomes Motion 动 as physical motion → 运动 sport; movement · 活动 activity · 动作 an action · 移动 to shift
动 as stirring the heart → 感动 to be moved · 激动 excited · 动人 moving, touching
动 as driving force → 动力 motive power · 发动 to launch · 动机 motive
动 as the action-word → 动词 verb · 主动 to take the initiative · 自动 automatic

运动 yùndòng To Move & Act

运动 yùndòng sport; exercise; to work out; a (social or political) movement

V/N 动名词 dòngmíngcí

运 yùn (to move; to transport) + 动 dòng (to move). Bodily exercise and sport: 做运动 "to exercise," 运动员 yùndòngyuán (athlete). The same word names an organized social or political movement, a mass of people set in motion.

每天运动对身体很好。

Měitiān yùndòng duì shēntǐ hěn hǎo.

Exercising every day is good for the body.

他最喜欢的运动是篮球。

Tā zuì xǐhuan de yùndòng shì lánqiú.

His favorite sport is basketball.

辨析 biànxī · 运动 vs. 活动运动 is bodily exercise or sport, physical motion of the body: 户外运动 "outdoor sports." 活动 huódòng is a planned activity or event in the broad sense, a gathering, a campaign, a function: 课外活动 "extracurricular activities." All sport is 活动, but not every 活动 is 运动.

活动 huódòng activity; event; to move about; to be active

V/N 动名词 dòngmíngcí

活 huó (alive) + 动 dòng (to move). Living motion: as a noun, an organized activity or event; as a verb, to move one's body about or to be socially active. 活动一下 "move around a bit, stretch the legs."

学校组织了很多活动。

Xuéxiào zǔzhī le hěn duō huódòng.

The school organized many activities.

动作 dòngzuò movement; action; gesture; motion (of the body)

N 名词 míngcí

动 dòng (to move) + 作 zuò (to do; to make). A single physical movement or gesture: 这个动作很难 "this move is hard," 动作快一点 "move faster." Also "action" in film: 动作片 dòngzuòpiàn (action movie).

他的动作又快又准。

Tā de dòngzuò yòu kuài yòu zhǔn.

His movements are both fast and precise.

感动 gǎndòng To Stir the Heart

语义洞见 yǔyì dòngjiàn · Semantic Insight

The same force that moves a body can move a heart, and Chinese uses 动 for both. 感动 gǎndòng is to be emotionally moved, the inner stirring you feel at a kindness, a reunion, a piece of music. 激动 jīdòng is a sharper, faster stirring, excitement or agitation that quickens the pulse. And 动人 dòngrén, "moving-people," is the adjective for anything touching or stirring, a story, a melody, a face.

Notice how the body-language and the heart-language stay parallel. A thing that does not move is 不动 (motionless); a heart that will not be stirred is 无动于衷 wú dòng yú zhōng, "unmoved within." In both registers, 动 marks the line between stillness and being set going, whether the push comes from the world outside or the feeling inside.

感动 gǎndòng to be moved, touched; to move (someone) emotionally

V 动词 dòngcí

感 gǎn (to feel) + 动 dòng (to stir). To have the heart stirred by feeling: 我很感动 "I'm deeply moved." It works both ways: 这个故事感动了很多人 "this story moved many people."

他的话让我很感动。

Tā de huà ràng wǒ hěn gǎndòng.

His words moved me deeply.

激动 jīdòng excited; agitated; stirred up; worked up

ADJ 形容词 xíngróngcí

激 jī (to rouse; to surge) + 动 dòng (to stir). A fast, strong emotional stirring, joy, anger, or agitation that one can barely sit still through: 太激动了 "so excited," 别激动 "calm down."

听到这个好消息，她非常激动。

Tīngdào zhège hǎo xiāoxi, tā fēicháng jīdòng.

She was thrilled when she heard the good news.

动力 dònglì Force & Motion

动力 dònglì motive power; driving force; motivation

N 名词 míngcí

动 dòng (to move) + 力 lì (force). The power that drives something forward, literal or figurative: an engine's 动力, and the 动力 that keeps a person striving. 学习的动力 "the motivation to study."

兴趣是最好的学习动力。

Xìngqù shì zuì hǎo de xuéxí dònglì.

Interest is the best motivation for learning.

主动 zhǔdòng to take the initiative; proactive; of one's own accord

ADJ 形容词 xíngróngcí

主 zhǔ (master; to take charge) + 动 dòng (to act). To move first and on one's own, rather than waiting to be pushed. Its opposite is 被动 bèidòng (passive). 主动帮忙 "to help without being asked."

他主动承担了这项工作。

Tā zhǔdòng chéngdān le zhè xiàng gōngzuò.

He took on this work of his own initiative.

自动 zìdòng automatic; automatically; of itself

ADJ 形容词 xíngróngcí

自 zì (self) + 动 dòng (to move). Moving by itself, without a hand to push it: 自动门 "automatic door," 自动更新 "to update automatically."

这扇门是自动的。

Zhè shàn mén shì zìdòng de.

This door is automatic.

成语 chéngyǔ Idioms & Set Phrases

一动不动 yí dòng bú dòng not moving a muscle: perfectly still, motionless Lit: one-move-not-move. The everyday phrase for total stillness, a person frozen in place, an animal holding its breath. The doubled 动 frames the stillness as the complete absence of motion.

惊天动地 jīng tiān dòng dì to startle heaven and move earth: world-shaking, earth-shattering Lit: startle-heaven-move-earth. Said of an event or deed so momentous it seems to shake the cosmos itself, a great upheaval, a stunning achievement.

轻举妄动 qīng jǔ wàng dòng to act rashly and recklessly: to move without due thought Lit: light-lifting-reckless-moving. A warning against hasty, ill-considered action, often 不要轻举妄动 "do not act rashly," said when caution and patience are called for.

动手动脚 dòng shǒu dòng jiǎo to move hands and feet: to get physical, to grope or rough up Lit: move-hand-move-foot. To put one's hands on someone, either to start a fight or to touch improperly. The doubled 动 spreads the action across hands and feet alike.

记忆法 jìyìfǎ · Master Retention Image

Look at the right side of 动: it is 力, the flexed arm of strength. The whole character is force applied until something gives way and moves. Bring that force to a body and you get sport and activity (运动, 活动). Bring it to a heart and you get the inner stir of being moved (感动, 激动). Bring it to a machine or a goal and you get the drive that pushes it forward (动力).

The opposite of 动 is 静, stillness. Hold the two in mind as a pair: everything is either at rest or being moved, and 动 is always the moment the strength on the right side wins and motion begins.