Chinese word

颤抖

Pronunciation

Pinyinchàn dǒu

Meaning

  • verbtremble

Example

我的手在颤抖。wǒ de shǒu zài chàn dǒu

My hand is trembling.

Illustration for 颤抖 (tremble)

More examples

寒风中，小孩的牙齿不停地颤抖。hán fēng zhōng xiǎo hái de yá chǐ bù tíng dì chàn dǒu

In the cold wind, the child's teeth kept chattering.

Core concept

Uncontrolled, repeated shaking runs through a body, a voice, or an object, keeping it from staying still.

Common phrases

  • 全身颤抖quán shēn chàn dǒu

    tremble all over

  • 牙齿颤抖yá chǐ chàn dǒu

    teeth chatter

  • 因寒冷而颤抖yīn hán lěng ér chàn dǒu

    shiver from the cold

Similar words

发抖fā dǒu: Cold, fear, or tension causes the whole body or the limbs to shake involuntarily.
抖动dǒu dòng: Small, repeated shaking moves an object or a part of the body back and forth.
颤动chàn dòng: A voice or long, thin object trembles with tiny, quick movements.
震动zhèn dòng: An outside force makes an object or the ground shake and move strongly.

Definition in Chinese

身体、声音或物体因情绪激动、害怕或外界刺激而出现不由自主的颤动或抖动。shēn tǐ shēng yīn huò wù tǐ yīn qíng xù jī dòng hài pà huò wài jiè cì jī ér chū xiàn bù yóu zì zhǔ de chàn dòng huò dǒu dòng

Word origin

The compound 颤 (chàn, "quiver") + 抖 (dǒu, "shake") combines two movement words, making involuntary trembling the clear shared image.

Usage tips

  • Chinese commonly lets a body part or voice serve as the subject of 颤抖 (chàndǒu, "to tremble"), so a sentence can spotlight the visible sign of emotion rather than name the person experiencing it.

Other meanings

  • tremornoun
  • shudderverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 颤抖不已chàn dǒu bù yǐtremble nonstopidiom

Word lists with this word