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动静 (dòng jing) — detectable signs of activity (sound, movement, noise)

Definition

动静 refers to detectable signs of activity — sounds, movement, or noise — rather than the activity itself. Unlike 动作 or 行动, it focuses on evidence something is happening nearby, often used in 有/没……动静 patterns.

noun
detectable signs of activity (sound, movement, noise)

Examples

  • 动静，。
    Wài miàn yì diǎn dòng jing dōu méi yǒu, dà jiā dōu shuì le.
    There's not a sound outside; everyone is asleep.
  • 动静，。
    Wǒ tīng dào gé bì yǒu dòng jing, kě néng yǒu rén zài bān jiā.
    I heard some noise next door; maybe someone is moving.
  • ，动静。
    Tā duǒ zài jiǎo luò lǐ, bù gǎn fā chū rèn hé dòng jing.
    He hid in the corner, not daring to make any sound.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

动dòngmovement
静jìngstillness

动 (movement) and 静 (stillness) together refer to signs of activity or movement.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 靜; 静 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 靜, not the simplified 静, uses 青 and 爭 for sound; an old source also treats 青 (blue) as a meaning part.

Open 静 →
Appears in
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