Chinese word

振动

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhèn dòng

Meaning

  • verbvibrate

Example

公交车过弯时手机会振动。gōng jiāo chē guò wān shí shǒu jī huì zhèn dòng

The phone vibrates when the bus goes around a bend.

Illustration for 振动 (vibrate)

More examples

轮胎磨损时，方向盘会振动。lún tāi mó sǔn shí fāng xiàng pán huì zhèn dòng

When the tires are worn, the steering wheel vibrates.

Core concept

A thing makes quick, small movements around its usual position, either on its own or under an outside force.

Common phrases

  • 手机振动shǒu jī zhèn dòng

    phone vibrates

  • 地面振动dì miàn zhèn dòng

    ground vibrates

  • 发动机振动fā dòng jī zhèn dòng

    engine vibrates

Similar words

震动zhèn dòng: To shake strongly as a whole because of a force or impact.
抖动dǒu dòng: To shake with small, rapid, fine movements.
摇晃yáo huàng: To sway slowly and broadly from side to side or back and forth.
颤抖chàn dǒu: To tremble with small, rapid movements from cold, fear, or strong emotion.

Definition in Chinese

物体自身振动或在外力作用下产生的细小颤动或摆动，也可指机械、电器发出的规律性或不规则的震动现象。wù tǐ zì shēn zhèn dòng huò zài wài lì zuò yòng xià chǎn shēng de xì xiǎo chàn dòng huò bǎi dòng yě kě zhǐ jī xiè diàn qì fā chū de guī lǜ xìng huò bù guī zé de zhèn dòng xiàn xiàng

Word origin

振 (zhèn, "shake") + 动 (dòng, "move") joins the idea of shaking with general movement to name vibration as an observable motion.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word is especially useful for describing a phone's silent alert, so it appears in settings and notices even when the phone is not ringing.

Other meanings

  • vibrationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 振动器zhèn dòng qìvibration devicenoun
  • 振动幅度zhèn dòng fú dùvibration amplitudenoun

Word lists with this word