Chinese word

一动不动

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī dòng bù dòng

Meaning

  • adverbstill

Example

听到枪声，他一动不动地趴在地上。tīng dào qiāng shēng tā yí dòng bú dòng dì pā zài dì shàng

Hearing the gunshot, he lay perfectly still on the ground.

Illustration for 一动不动 (still)

More examples

在寒风中，他一动不动地靠着墙。zài hán fēng zhōng tā yí dòng bú dòng dì kào zhe qiáng

In the cold wind, he leaned against the wall without moving.

Core concept

A person or object stays completely fixed, with no visible movement.

Common phrases

  • 一动不动地靠着墙yí dòng bú dòng dì kào zhe qiáng

    lean against the wall without moving

  • 一动不动地盯着照片yí dòng bú dòng dì dīng zhe zhào piān

    stare at the photo without moving

  • 一动不动地凝望着远方yí dòng bú dòng dì níng wàng zhe yuǎn fāng

    gaze into the distance without moving

Similar words

纹丝不动wén sī bú dòng: Remaining entirely motionless, with not even a tiny movement.
动弹不得dòng tán bù dé: Being unable to move because the body or limbs cannot move.
一动也不动yí dòng yě bú dòng: Making no movement at all, with complete physical stillness.

Definition in Chinese

用作副词，表示完全不动，既可形容人也可形容物体，常在叙述中用于描写静止的场面。yòng zuò fù cí biǎo shì wán quán bú dòng jì kě xíng róng rén yě kě xíng róng wù tǐ cháng zài xù shù zhōng yòng yú miáo xiě jìng zhǐ de chǎng miàn

Word origin

一动不动 (yīdòngbùdòng, "completely still") uses 一 (yī, "one") + 动 (dòng, "move") + 不 (bù, "not") + 动 (dòng, "move") to suggest that not even one movement occurs.

Usage tips

  • English still can also mean continuing up to now, but this Chinese expression describes physical immobility, while the reason may be fear, attention, or another part of the context.

Other meanings

  • unable to moveadjective

Word lists with this word