动身

• Pinyin: dòng shēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 动 = 云 + 力 (to move); 身 = 身 pictograph (body — extended to mean 'person' or 'self')

Meaning

To set out; to depart on a journey; to leave one's current location and begin travelling to a destination.

Slightly more formal or literary than plain 出发. Often implies a deliberate departure after preparation. Frequently paired with time expressions or destinations. Used in both formal narrative and everyday speech to mark the moment of departure.

Examples

1. 他们一行人天未亮便动身，赶在日出前抵达了山顶。 They set out before dawn and reached the mountaintop in time for sunrise.
2. 接到紧急通知后，她立刻收拾行李准备动身前往灾区。 After receiving the emergency notice, she immediately packed and got ready to leave for the disaster area.
3. 此行路途遥远，须早做准备，择日动身。 The journey is long, so preparations must be made early, and they will set out on a chosen day.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, journey, narrative, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 代表团计划明早八时动身，乘坐高铁赴京出席年度峰会。(The delegation plans to set out at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, taking the high-speed rail to Beijing to attend the annual summit.)
• 暴风雪逼近之前，向导催促队员们迅速收拾好装备，尽快动身下山撤离。(Before the blizzard closed in, the guide urged team members to quickly pack their equipment and set off down the mountain to evacuate.)

Don't Say

• 他动身了这个项目 — 动身 means to depart on a physical journey; use 开始 or 着手处理 for starting a project or task

Origin & History

动 (to move) + 身 (body/person) — to move one's body, i.e. to set out on a journey

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal