躁动 (zào dòng) — to be restless and agitated; to stir restlessly

Definition

Describes restless, agitated movement or inner turmoil (e.g. a heart, a crowd, a market). Stronger and more intense than 不安; implies active stirring rather than just unease.

verb
to be restless and agitatedto stir restlessly

Examples

  • 躁动，。
    Xīn lǐ yí zhèn zào dòng, ràng rén zuò lì bù ān.
    A surge of restlessness in the heart makes one unable to sit still.
  • 躁动，。
    Jīn róng shì chǎng chū xiàn zào dòng, tóu zī zhě dōu hěn jǐn zhāng.
    The financial market experienced unrest, and investors were very nervous.
  • 。
    Tā zào dòng bù ān dì lái huí zǒu dòng.
    He paced back and forth restlessly and uneasily.

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.

躁zàorestless
动dòngmove

The sense joins 躁, restless agitation, with 动, movement.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 躁 →

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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