Chinese word

动手

Pronunciation

Pinyindòng shǒu

Meaning

  • verbget started

Example

我们现在就动手吧。wǒ men xiàn zài jiù dòng shǒu ba

Let's get started right now.

Illustration for 动手 (get started)

More examples

做饭的时候，他先准备好材料再动手。zuò fàn de shí hòu tā xiān zhǔn bèi hǎo cái liào zài dòng shǒu

When cooking, he prepares the ingredients first and then gets started.

Core concept

Putting one's hands into a situation, from starting practical work to meddling or laying hands on someone.

Common phrases

  • 动手做实验dòng shǒu zuò shí yàn

    get started on experiments

  • 动手修理dòng shǒu xiū lǐ

    get started on repairs

  • 动手制作dòng shǒu zhì zuò

    get started on making things

Similar words

开始kāi shǐ: Starting something, whether an action or an event.
着手zhuó shǒu: Beginning work on a specific job or plan.

Definition in Chinese

亲自开始着手做某事，常指用手进行的具体工作；在口语中有时单独表示动手打人。qīn zì kāi shǐ zhuó shǒu zuò mǒu shì cháng zhǐ yòng shǒu jìn xíng de jù tǐ gōng zuò zài kóu yǔ zhōng yǒu shí dān dú biǎo shì dòng shǒu dǎ rén

Word origin

动 (dòng, "move") + 手 (shǒu, "hand") combines movement with the hand, giving the image of putting one's hands into an activity and, by extension, onto a person.

Usage tips

  • When it stands alone, the word can sound like a threat to strike, while a named task after it makes the practical meaning clear.

Other meanings

  • hitverb
  • interfereverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 动手能力dòng shǒu néng lìhands-on abilitynoun

Word lists with this word