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活动 (huó dòng) — (verb) to move about, to exercise, to get some physical movement; (noun) activity, event, campaign

Definition

活动 covers both 'activity/event' (noun) and 'to move about, exercise' (verb). As a noun for an event, it's broader than 运动 (sports/exercise); as a verb for physical movement, 运动 is the more common everyday word for working out.

verb
to move aboutto exerciseto get some physical movement
noun
activityeventcampaign
Measure word · 项, 个

Examples

  • 活动。
    Zuò jiǔ le yào qǐ lái huó dòng yí xià.
    After sitting for a long time, you should stand up and move around a bit.
  • 活动，。
    Zhè ge huó dòng hěn yǒu yì si, wǒ men yì qǐ qù ba.
    This activity is very interesting; let's go together.
  • 活动，。
    Tā huó dòng le yí xià, jiù zhǎo dào le nà fèn gōng zuò.
    He used his connections a bit and found that job.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

活huóactive
动dòngmove

活 gives the sense of being active and 动 gives the sense of moving, so together they mean to move about or an activity.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

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 →
Appears in
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