Meaning of 动手
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to set about (a task)
- to raise a hand to hit sb
- to touch; to handle (typically used in cautioning sb *not* to touch sth)
How to use 动手
动手 has three common uses: starting a task, starting a fight, and touching things you should not. Signs often say 请勿动手 (qǐng wù dòngshǒu), please do not touch. For the fighting sense: 有话好好说，别动手。(Yǒu huà hǎohǎo shuō, bié dòngshǒu.) If you have something to say, talk it out, don't hit anyone.
动手 is literally 动 (dòng, to move) plus 手 (shǒu, hand). When you move your hands, you either start working, touch something, or hit someone.
Common mistake: Learners often use 动手 for any kind of touching. In practice 别动手 usually means don't hit or don't touch the item, while gentle touching is 摸 (mō) or 碰 (pèng). Also keep the fourth tone on 动 (dòng), and don't confuse it with 懂 (dǒng, to understand).
动手 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
动 dòng · to move · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
手 shǒu · hand · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 动手.
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone; mobile phone |
| 动作 | dòngzuò | movement; motion; action; to act; to move |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory |
| 行动 | xíngdòng | operation; action |
| 动物 | dòngwù | animal |
| 活动 | huódòng | to exercise; to move about; to work out; shaky; unsteady; loose (tooth etc) |
| 运动 | yùndòng | to move; to exercise |
| 感动 | gǎndòng | to move (sb); to touch (sb emotionally) |
| 手表 | shǒubiǎo | wristwatch |
| 动物园 | dòngwùyuán | zoo |
| 举手 | jǔshǒu | to raise a hand; to put up one's hand (as signal) |
| 手指 | shǒuzhǐ | finger |
Questions about 动手
What does 动手 mean?
动手 (dòngshǒu) means "to set about (a task); to raise a hand to hit sb".
How do you write 动手?
动手 is made of 2 characters: 动 (6 strokes), 手 (4 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 动手 an HSK word?
Yes. 动手 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 动手 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 动手 is written 動手.
What does 动手动脚 mean?
动手动脚 (dòngshǒu dòngjiǎo) means to get physical with someone, either by being rough or by touching someone inappropriately. It is always negative.
How is 动手 different from 开始 for starting something?
开始 (kāishǐ) is a general word for begin. 动手 stresses actually getting your hands busy on practical work, as in 我们明天动手装修 (wǒmen míngtiān dòngshǒu zhuāngxiū), we start renovating tomorrow.