TongTong
Sign in

动身 (dòng shēn) — to set out on a journey; to leave (for a destination)

Definition

动身 means 'to set off on a journey,' focusing on the moment of departure from where you are. It emphasizes leaving for a destination, unlike 出门 (leaving the house) and is more colloquial than 启程/起程.

verb
to set out on a journeyto leave (for a destination)

Examples

  • 动身。
    Wǒ míng tiān zǎo shàng dòng shēn qù shàng hǎi.
    I'll set out for Shanghai tomorrow morning.
  • 动身，。
    Tā cōng cōng dòng shēn, lián xíng li dōu méi ná.
    He left in such a hurry that he didn't even take his luggage.
  • ，动身。
    Wǒ men yǐ jīng jué dìng le, xià wǔ liǎng diǎn dòng shēn.
    We've already decided to set off at two this afternoon.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

动dòngmove
身shēnbody

动 (move) and 身 (body) mean moving one's body, i.e. setting out.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Travel & Tourism

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.