Definition
开动 (kāi dòng) means to start a machine, engine, or vehicle, focusing on making it begin moving or operating. Compared to 启动 (qǐ dòng, more formal and used for devices/systems) and 发动 (fā dòng, used for engines but also for launching campaigns), 开动 is more concrete and often implies motion. It also has a colloquial sense of 'starting to eat' (dig in) that its synonyms lack.
verb
to start (a machine, engine, vehicle)(colloquial) to start eatingto dig in
Easily confused
- 开会kāi huìlook-aliketo have a meeting; to hold a meeting
Examples
- 开动。Gōngrén kāi dòng le zhè tái jīqì.The worker started this machine.
- ，开动！Cài dōu lái le, dàjiā kāi dòng ba!The dishes are all here, everyone dig in!
- 开动，。Jūnduì kāi dòng le, xiàng nánfāng qiánjìn.The army started moving and marched southward.
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