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驱动 (qū dòng) — to drive (a vehicle or machine); to propel; to motivate

Definition

At HSK 7, 驱动 leans toward 'propel' in abstract or mechanical contexts (electricity drives a machine; curiosity drives learning). For literally driving a vehicle, use 驾驶; for spurring economic growth, 带动 or 拉动 are more natural.

verb
to drive (a vehicle or machine)to propelto motivate

Examples

  • 驱动。
    Hào qí xīn qū dòng tā bú duàn xué xí xīn de zhī shi.
    Curiosity drives her to keep learning new knowledge.
  • 驱动。
    Zhè tái jī qì yóu diàn lì qū dòng.
    This machine is driven by electricity.
  • 驱动。
    Tā nǔ lì qū dòng tuán duì dá chéng mù biāo.
    He works hard to drive the team to achieve the goal.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

驱qūdrive
动dòngmove

“驱” means to drive and “动” means to move, so the word means to drive something into motion.

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 驅; 驱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
區
區qū驅qū
Same sound today

The traditional form 驅 pairs 馬 (horse) with 區 as a sound part; simplified 驱 is a later shorthand.

Open 驱 →

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 7-9Technology & Engineering

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