About

The word "动静" is formed by combining two opposite and complementary concepts, "动" (dòng, meaning movement or action) and "静" (jìng, meaning stillness or quiet), into a single, unified idea. This juxtaposition creates a new, abstract concept that transcends the simple sum of its parts, referring not to either state alone but to the condition of activity or the signs of change within an environment. It captures the holistic perception of a situation by encompassing both presence and absence of motion, ultimately meaning "any activity or movement" or "the sounds and signs that indicate life or happenings".

Example Sentences Hide

注意周围的动静

Zhùyì zhōuwéi de dòngjìng.

Pay attention to the movements around.

我听到了一些奇怪的动静

Wǒ tīng dào le yīxiē qíguài de dòngjìng.

I heard some strange movements.

小猫在房间里弄出了很大的动静

Xiǎo māo zài fángjiān lǐ nòng chū le hěn dà de dòngjìng.

The kitten made a lot of noise in the room.

他仔细听着门外的动静,生怕有人进来。

Tā zǐxì tīng zhe mén wài de dòngjìng, shēngpà yǒu rén jìnlái.

He listened carefully to the movements outside the door, afraid that someone might come in.

尽管夜色已深,但森林里依然不时传来各种动静

Jǐnguǎn yèsè yǐ shēn, dàn sēnlín lǐ yīrán bùshí chuán lái gèzhǒng dòngjìng.

Although the night was deep, various movements still came from the forest from time to time.

Word Definition - 动静

dòng jìng (detectable) movement; (sign of) activity; movement and stillness

Individual Character Details