电动

• Pinyin: diàn dòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 电 = simplified form of 電, originally depicting lightning; 动 = 云 (cloud, phonetic) + 力 (strength)

Meaning

Electric; electric-powered. Used as an attributive adjective to describe devices or vehicles powered by electricity.

This word appears frequently in discussions about electric vehicles (电动车), electric tools (电动工具), and increasingly in the context of China's push toward green energy and electric transportation. It implies modern, battery-operated technology as opposed to manual or fuel-powered alternatives.

Examples

1. 现在越来越多的人选择电动汽车，充电站也比以前多了不少。 More and more people are choosing electric cars now, and there are a lot more charging stations than before.
2. 这款电动牙刷可以连接手机应用，提醒你刷牙的正确姿势。 This electric toothbrush can connect to a phone app to remind you of the correct brushing technique.
3. 我爸刚买了一辆电动自行车，上下班比挤公交轻松多了。 My dad just bought an electric bike, and commuting is much easier than squeezing onto the bus.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, transportation, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 电动车的保养成本比燃油车低很多。(The maintenance cost of electric vehicles is much lower than fuel cars.)
• 这个电动螺丝刀真好用，省了我不少力气。(This electric screwdriver is really handy, it saves me a lot of effort.)

Don't Say

• 说'电动力'来表示电力 (Don't say 电动力 to mean electric power — use 电力 instead; 电动 is an adjective, not a noun)

Origin & History

Modern compound of 电 (electricity) + 动 (to move, motion). Created to describe the then-novel concept of electrically-powered motion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal