打动 (dǎ dòng) — to move (emotionally), to touch | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

打动 focuses on winning someone over emotionally — a speech, gift, or action that touches the listener. Stronger than 感动 (describes the feeling it produces) and more external than 触动 (which is closer to 'stir' and can be neutral or negative).

verb

to move (emotionally)to touch

Examples

打动。
Tā de huà dǎ dòng le suǒ yǒu rén.
His words moved everyone.
打动。
Zhè ge lǐ wù dǎ dòng le tā de xīn.
This gift touched her heart.
打动。
Tā de xíng wéi fēi cháng dǎ dòng wǒ.
His behavior moved me very much.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

打dǎstrike

打 is the striking action, and 动 is the result of being moved; together they mean to touch emotionally.

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.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

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.

重力動

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Emotions & Feelings 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.