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无动于衷 (wú dòng yú zhōng) — indifferent; unconcerned; aloof

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'to remain unmoved / indifferent' — someone's heart is not stirred at all. Stronger and more emotionally cold than 冷淡, which describes a general cool manner.

phrase
indifferentunconcernedaloof

Examples

  • ，无动于衷。
    Duì bié rén de pī píng, tā wú dòng yú zhōng.
    He is indifferent to criticism from others.
  • ，无动于衷，。
    Wú lùn fā shēng shén me shì, tā dōu wú dòng yú zhōng, ràng rén nán yǐ lǐ jiě.
    No matter what happens, she remains indifferent, which is hard to understand.
  • ，无动于衷，。
    Kàn dào zhè yàng de bēi jù, tā jìng rán wú dòng yú zhōng, zhēn shì lěng xuè.
    Seeing such a tragedy, he was actually indifferent — really cold-blooded.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

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
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
中
中zhōng衷zhōng
Same sound today

The shape of 衷 combines 衣 (clothes) and 中 (middle; center), with 中 giving the sound.

Open 衷 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Attitudes & OpinionsIdioms & Set Phrases

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