Meaning of 自动
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- automatic
- voluntarily
How to use 自动
自动 is used for machines and systems that work on their own, as in 自动门 (automatic door) or 自动售货机 (vending machine). It can also describe people doing something on their own initiative, without being asked. Example: 门会自动关上。(Mén huì zìdòng guān shang.) The door closes automatically.
自 (zì) means self and 动 (dòng) means to move. Something that moves by itself is automatic.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 动 (dòng) with 功 (gōng). Both have 力 on the right, but 动 has 云 on the left and 功 has 工. Also keep zì in the fourth tone. Do not say zǐ.
自动 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.
自 zì · self · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
动 dòng · to move · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 自动.
| 动作 | dòngzuò | movement; motion; action; to act; to move |
| 自己 | zìjǐ | oneself; (attributive) one's own |
| 行动 | xíngdòng | operation; action |
| 自由 | zìyóu | freedom; liberty; free; unrestricted |
| 来自 | láizì | to come from (a place); From: (in email header) |
| 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) |
| 自行车 | zìxíngchē | bicycle; bike |
| 大自然 | dàzìrán | nature (the natural world) |
| 动物园 | dòngwùyuán | zoo |
Questions about 自动
What does 自动 mean?
自动 (zìdòng) means "automatic; voluntarily" and is used as a adjective and adverb.
How do you write 自动?
自动 is made of 2 characters: 自 (6 strokes), 动 (6 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 自动 an HSK word?
Yes. 自动 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 自动 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 自动 is written 自動.
What is the difference between 自动 and 主动?
自动 means something happens by itself, often mechanically or without outside push. 主动 (zhǔdòng) stresses a person taking the initiative, like 主动帮忙 (to offer help on your own). For people, 主动 is more common in everyday speech.
How do you say automatic car or automatic transmission in Chinese?
An automatic car is 自动挡 (zìdòng dǎng) or 自动挡的车, and a manual car is 手动挡 (shǒudòng dǎng). 自动化 (zìdònghuà) means automation.