动不动

dòng bu dòng

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Adverb Uncommon

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Definitions

1. at the drop of a hat

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Word relationships

Related words

3 items

• 随便 suí biàn 随便 suí biàn as one wishes both can imply doing something without much thought, but 动不动 focuses on frequency and 随便 on casualness: as one wishes
• 轻易 qīng yì 轻易 qīng yì easily used to describe doing something easily, while 动不动 means easily triggered to do something (often negative): easily
• 时常 shí cháng 时常 shí cháng often means 'often', but 动不动 implies a tendency to do something at the slightest provocation: often

Usage notes

Common mistakes

动不动 is usually followed by a verb phrase indicating an undesirable action, often with 就, e.g. 动不动就生气 (get angry at the slightest thing). It is not used for neutral habits.

Grammar

Guides that feature 动不动

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1 guide

HSK 2.0 Level 6+ HSK 3.0 Level 7–9+ 5 min

动不动就... for “At the Slightest Thing”

Use 动不动就 to complain that someone or something does an unwelcome thing far too easily and too often.

Reading: dòng bu dòng Open guide

Example Sentences

1 shown

他 动不动 就生气。

He gets angry at the drop of a hat.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 动不动

• 一动不动 一动不动 yī dòng bù dòng: motionless
• 动不动就生气 动不动就生气 dòng bu dòng jiù shēng qì: to be quick to take offense; to have a short fuse

Child Words of 动不动

• 不 不 bù: no; not so
• 动 动 dòng: (of sth) to move
• 不动 不动 bù dòng: motionless