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一动 (yī dòng) — (noun) a single movement, a jerk, a jolt; (in pattern 一动就...) as soon as one moves, at the slightest movement; (colloquial adverb) easily, readily, at every turn

Definition

Used mostly in the pattern 一动就… ('at the slightest movement, then…') meaning something triggers easily. As a noun it means a single movement; as an adverbial phrase it means readily or at every turn.

noun
a single movementa jerka jolt(in pattern 一动就...) as soon as one movesat the slightest movement(colloquial adverb) easilyreadilyat every turn

Examples

  • ，一动。
    Tā zuò zài nà lǐ, yī dòng yě bú dòng.
    He sat there without making a single move.
  • ，一动。
    Zhè ge xiāng zi tài zhòng le, yī dòng jiù xiǎng.
    This box is so heavy that it makes a noise at the slightest movement.
  • 一动，。
    Tā yī dòng jiù kū, dà jiā dōu bù gǎn shuō tā.
    She cries at the drop of a hat, so nobody dares to say anything to her.

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.

一yīone
动dòngmove

一 'one' and 动 'move' combine to mean a single movement.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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