扭动 (niǔ dòng) — to wriggle; to squirm; to writhe

Definition

To wriggle or squirm — twisting the body (or part of it) with small repeated motions, often to get free or from discomfort.

verb

to wriggleto squirmto writhe

扭动。
Tā niǔ dòng shēn tǐ zuàn guò le xiá zhǎi de fèng xì.
He wriggled his body through the narrow gap.
扭动。
Yú zài wǎng lǐ bù tíng dì niǔ dòng.
The fish wriggled ceaselessly in the net.
，扭动。
Tā zuò zhe bú dòng, dàn jiǎo zhǐ jǐn zhāng dì niǔ dòng.
She sat still, but her toes wriggled nervously.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

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

扭动 joins 扭, twisting, and 动, moving, to describe a continuous wriggling action.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丑

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

扭 has 手 (hand) beside 丑. The 手 part shows that the meaning involves a hand action, and 丑 gives 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

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.