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动感情 (dòng gǎn qíng) — to be emotionally affected, to be moved; to get worked up, to lose emotional control

Definition

动感情 (dòng gǎnqíng) means to get emotionally caught up — 'be moved' or 'lose composure from feeling'. A separable verb: 动 + 感情, often used in the negative (没动过感情) to stress emotional detachment.

verb
to be emotionally affectedto be movedto get worked upto lose emotional control

Examples

  • 动感情，。
    Tā zhè ge rén hěn róng yì dòng gǎn qíng, kàn gè diàn yǐng dōu néng kū.
    He is very easily emotionally affected — even a movie can make him cry.
  • 。
    Wǒ cóng lái méi duì tā dòng guò gǎn qíng.
    I have never been emotionally affected by him.
  • 动感情，。
    Nǐ bié tài dòng gǎn qíng le, zhè jiàn shì xū yào lěng jìng sī kǎo.
    Don't get too worked up — this matter requires calm thinking.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

动dòngstir
感情emotion
感gǎnfeeling情qíngemotion
联合Coordinate

动 means stir and 感情 means emotion, so the idea is emotion being stirred up.

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 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 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
咸
咸xián感gǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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