动静
Traditional: 動靜
dòng jìng HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

外面有动静,我去看看。
Wàimiàn yǒu dòngjìng, wǒ qù kànkan.
There's movement outside, I'll go check.
房间里没有动静,他可能睡了。
Fángjiān lǐ méiyǒu dòngjìng, tā kěnéng shuìle.
There's no sound of movement in the room, he might be asleep.
注意周围的动静,确保安全。
Zhùyì zhōuwéi de dòngjìng, quèbǎo ānquán.
Pay attention to the movement around you to ensure safety.
外面有动静。
Wàimiàn yǒu dòngjìng.
There is movement outside.
我听到动静。
Wǒ tīng dào dòngjìng.
I heard a sound.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 动 (move) + 静 (quiet) together: even in quiet, you notice movement—hence, 'sound of movement' or 'activity'.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both spoken and written Chinese, in informal to semi-formal contexts. Common in narratives or descriptions to indicate noticing activity, such as in suspenseful situations, monitoring surroundings, or checking if someone/something is active.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used with verbs like 听, 听到, 传来, 有, 没有. It can be modified by adjectives (e.g., 奇怪的动静) or quantifiers (e.g., 一阵动静).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese storytelling or daily life, noticing 动静 is often associated with vigilance, curiosity, or suspense, like in detective scenarios or checking on children/pets.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 声音 (sound, any noise), 动静 specifically implies noise from movement or activity. Compared to 活动 (activity, event), 动静 is more about detectable signs of activity rather than the event itself.

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