Meaning of 运动
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to move
- to exercise
- sports
- exercise
- motion
- movement
- campaign
Measure word: 場|场
How to use 运动
运动 (yùndòng) is most often used for sports and physical exercise, as a verb or a noun. It can also mean physical motion or a large social or political campaign. Example: 我每天早上运动半个小时。(Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang yùndòng bàn ge xiǎoshí.) I exercise for half an hour every morning.
运 (yùn) means to carry or transport, and 动 (dòng) means to move. When you carry your body around and keep it moving, you are doing 运动 (yùndòng), exercise.
Common mistake: Learners often say 做运动 and 运动 interchangeably, which is fine, but they avoid saying 玩运动. Use 做运动 (zuò yùndòng) or just 运动 for exercising, and use 打 (dǎ) or 踢 (tī) with specific ball sports, such as 打篮球 or 踢足球.
运动 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.
运 yùn · to move · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
动 dòng · to move · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 运动.
| 动作 | dòngzuò | movement; motion; action; to act; to move |
| 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) |
| 感动 | gǎndòng | to move (sb); to touch (sb emotionally) |
| 动物园 | dòngwùyuán | zoo |
| 幸运 | xìngyùn | fortunate; lucky; good fortune; luck |
| 命运 | mìngyùn | fate; destiny |
| 发动 | fādòng | to start; to launch |
| 自动 | zìdòng | automatic; voluntarily |
| 主动 | zhǔdòng | to take the initiative; to do sth of one's own accord |
| 动力 | dònglì | motive power; (fig.) motivation; impetus |
Questions about 运动
What does 运动 mean?
运动 (yùndòng) means "to move; to exercise" and is used as a verb and noun.
How do you write 运动?
运动 is made of 2 characters: 运 (7 strokes), 动 (6 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 运动 an HSK word?
Yes. 运动 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 运动 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 运动 is written 運動.
What is the difference between 运动 and 活动?
运动 (yùndòng) usually means real exercise or sports. 活动 (huódòng) is lighter, like stretching or moving about, and it also means an event or activity, such as 学校活动 (a school event).
How do I say sportswear or athlete with 运动?
运动 forms many common compounds. 运动员 (yùndòngyuán) is an athlete, 运动服 (yùndòngfú) is sportswear, and 运动鞋 (yùndòngxié) is sneakers.