雷动 (léi dòng) — to thunder; to resound like thunder (typically in phrases like 掌声雷动)

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to thunder / to resound like thunder', almost always used in fixed phrases like 掌声雷动 ('applause thundered'). It describes a loud collective sound, not actual weather.

verb
to thunderto resound like thunder (typically in phrases like 掌声雷动)

Examples

  • ，。
    Guān zhòng zhǎng shēng léi dòng, rè liè zhù hè biǎo yǎn chéng gōng.
    The audience's applause thundered, warmly congratulating the successful performance.
  • ，雷动。
    Tā de fā yán yíng dé le léi míng bān de zhǎng shēng, quán chǎng léi dòng.
    His speech won thunderous applause, and the whole venue resounded.
  • ，雷动，。
    Qìng zhù huó dòng shàng, huān hū shēng léi dòng, qì fen rè liè.
    At the celebration, cheers thundered, and the atmosphere was enthusiastic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

雷léithunder
动dòngmove

雷动 combines 雷, thunder, with 动, move, to suggest something resounding like thunder.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
畾
畾léi雷léi
Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to the meaning, and the bottom 畾 gives the sound.

Open 雷 →

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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