动 meaning and stroke order
(of sth) to move; to set in movement; to displace
How to write 动, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 动
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (of sth) to move
- to set in movement
- to displace
- to touch
- to make use of
- to stir (emotions)
How 动 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Strength.
力 gives the meaning.
Radical: 力 (strength), shared by 44 characters on this site.
How to remember 动
动 is built from 云 (yún, cloud) on the left and 力 (lì, strength) on the right. The 力 part carries the meaning: it takes strength to make something move, like a force pushing the clouds along.
动 appears in many everyday words about movement and action, such as 运动 (yùndòng, to exercise), 动物 (dòngwù, animal) and 感动 (gǎndòng, to move emotionally). On its own it often means to move or to touch something. Example: 别动。(Bié dòng.) Don't move.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 动 (dòng) with 运 (yùn), since both show up in 运动 and both relate to motion. 运 has the 辶 walking radical and means to transport or carry, while 动 has 力 on the right and means to move.
Common words with 动
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 动作 | dòngzuò | movement; motion; action; to act; to move | HSK 1 |
| 行动 | xíngdòng | operation; action | HSK 2 |
| 动物 | dòngwù | animal | HSK 2 |
| 活动 | huódòng | to exercise; to move about; to work out; shaky; unsteady; loose (tooth etc) | HSK 2 |
| 运动 | yùndòng | to move; to exercise | HSK 2 |
| 感动 | gǎndòng | to move (sb); to touch (sb emotionally) | HSK 2 |
| 动物园 | dòngwùyuán | zoo | HSK 2 |
| 发动 | fādòng | to start; to launch | HSK 3 |
| 自动 | zìdòng | automatic; voluntarily | HSK 3 |
| 主动 | zhǔdòng | to take the initiative; to do sth of one's own accord | HSK 3 |
| 动力 | dònglì | motive power; (fig.) motivation; impetus | HSK 3 |
| 推动 | tuīdòng | to push (e.g. for acceptance of a plan); to promote; to give impetus to | HSK 3 |
| 动人 | dòngrén | touching; moving | HSK 3 |
| 生动 | shēngdòng | (of descriptions, writing etc) vivid; lively | HSK 3 |
动 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 动
How many strokes are in 动?
动 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 动 mean?
动 (dòng) means (of sth) to move; to set in movement; to displace. A common word with it is 动作 (dòngzuò), meaning "movement; motion; action; to act; to move".
How do you pronounce 动?
动 is pronounced dòng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 动?
The radical of 动 is 力, which carries the idea of "strength". Dictionaries list 动 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 动?
The traditional form of 动 is 動. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 动 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 动 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 动 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What does 动 mean in 感动?
In 感动 (gǎndòng), 动 means to stir or move someone's emotions. For example, 我很感动 (wǒ hěn gǎndòng) means I am very touched.
Can 动 mean to touch or use something?
Yes. 别动我的东西 (bié dòng wǒ de dōngxi) means don't touch my things. It can also mean to make use of something, as in 动脑子 (dòng nǎozi), to use your brain.