响动 (xiǎng dòng) — slight sound (as of something stirring or moving)

Definition

Refers to a faint, indistinct sound — the kind of noise you barely hear when something stirs. Often appears in 一点∼都没有 ('not a sound') to emphasize silence.

noun
slight sound (as of something stirring or moving)

Examples

  • ，响动。
    Yè shēn le, wǒ tīng jiàn chuāng wài yǒu xiǎng dòng.
    It was late at night, and I heard a slight sound outside the window.
  • ，响动。
    Fáng zi lǐ jìng qiāo qiāo de, yì diǎn xiǎng dòng dōu méi yǒu.
    The house was completely silent, without any slight sound at all.
  • ，响动。
    Tā huí tóu zhāng wàng le yí xià, sì hū tīng dào le shén me xiǎng dòng.
    He looked back over his shoulder, as if he had heard some slight sound.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

响xiǎngsound
动dòngmovement

响 (sound) and 动 (movement) together refer to a slight sound from something stirring.

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 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →

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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