摇动 (yáo dòng) — to wave, sway, rock; to shake

Definition

A physical verb for repeated back-and-forth motion — shaking, waving, or rocking something or oneself. Often used for inanimate things (branches, flags) or deliberate gentle movement (a child to sleep).

verb
to waveswayrockto shake

Examples

  • 摇动。
    Tā gāo xìng dì yáo dòng zhuó shǒu xiàng wǒ men dǎ zhāo hu.
    He happily waved his hand to greet us.
  • 摇动。
    Shù zhī zài fēng zhōng qīng qīng yáo dòng.
    The branches sway gently in the wind.
  • 摇动。
    Mā ma qīng qīng de bǎ hái zi yáo dòng rù shuì.
    Mom gently rocks the child to sleep.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

摇yáoshake
动dòngmove

摇 means 'shake' and 动 means 'move', giving the idea of shaking something so it moves.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 摇 →

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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