动静

• Pinyin: dòng jing
• Hanzi breakdown: 动 = 云 + 力 (movement); 静 = 青 + 争 (stillness — quiet, the absence of contention)

Meaning

Movement and sound; signs of activity; any audible or visible indication that something is happening or has changed.

Can refer to sound alone, movement alone, or both combined — any sign that something is active. Commonly used in contexts involving surveillance, waiting for a response, or monitoring a situation. The phrase 有动静 means 'there are signs of movement', while 没有动静 means 'all quiet, no developments'.

Examples

1. 深夜，他听见楼下有动静，随即起身查看。 Late at night, he heard some movement downstairs and immediately got up to check.
2. 谈判已持续一周，外界尚未听到任何实质性动静。 Negotiations have gone on for a week, yet the outside world still hasn’t heard anything substantive.
3. 警方在周边部署了便衣人员，随时监视嫌疑人的一举一动。 The police stationed plainclothes officers nearby to keep a close watch on the suspect’s every move.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, security, observation, monitoring

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 夜里风声很大，他一直侧耳倾听，生怕错过院子里的任何动静。(The wind was loud at night, and he kept his ears pricked, afraid of missing any sign of movement in the courtyard.)
• 项目启动至今已逾半年，资金方迟迟没有动静，合作方开始感到不安。(More than six months have passed since the project launched, and the investor has shown no sign of movement, causing partners to grow uneasy.)

Don't Say

• 动静 as a verb — 动静 is always a noun; do not say 不要动静; use 保持安静 or 不要发出声音 to tell someone to be quiet

Origin & History

动 (movement) + 静 (stillness) — the pairing of opposites forms a compound meaning 'whether there is movement or sound'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal