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转动 (zhuàn dòng) — to rotate, to revolve, to turn

Definition

转动 means 'to rotate / turn on an axis' — usually physical motion (a wheel, doorknob). Compared with 旋转 (spinning, often smoother or faster) and 转 zhuǎn (a general turn), it emphasizes rotation around a fixed axis.

verb
to rotateto revolveto turn

Examples

  • 转动。
    Dì qiú rào tài yáng zhuàn dòng yì zhōu xū yào yì nián.
    It takes a year for the Earth to orbit the Sun.
  • 转动。
    Tā bǎ mén bǎ shǒu xiàng yòu zhuàn dòng le yí xià.
    He turned the doorknob to the right.
  • 转动。
    Fēng chē zài fēng zhōng bù tíng dì zhuàn dòng.
    The windmill keeps turning in the wind.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

转zhuǎnturn
动dòngmove

转动 combines 转 “turn” and 动 “move” into the idea of rotating or turning around.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 6Physics & Chemistry

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