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主动 (zhǔ dòng) — proactive, taking the initiative (of a person's attitude or action); voluntary, on one's own accord

Definition

主动 describes a person who takes the lead or acts on their own (opposite of 被动). Compared with 积极, it stresses being the one to initiate an action rather than having a generally energetic, positive attitude.

adjective
proactivetaking the initiative (of a person's attitude or action)voluntaryon one's own accord
Easily confused

Examples

  • 主动。
    Tā fēi cháng zhǔ dòng xué xí zhōng wén.
    He is very proactive in learning Chinese.
  • 主动，。
    Zhè shì wǒ zhǔ dòng zuò de jué dìng, bú shì bié rén ràng wǒ zuò de.
    This is a decision I made on my own initiative, not something others asked me to do.
  • ，主动。
    Zài gōng zuò zhōng, nǐ yào gèng zhǔ dòng yì xiē.
    At work, you need to be more proactive.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

主zhǔprimary
动dòngaction

主 means primary and 动 means action, giving acting on one's own initiative.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →
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