Meanings of 动不动
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AI Study Notes for 动不动
常常 (chángcháng, often) — use 动不动 when emphasizing the ease or undesirability of the occurrence, while 常常 simply indicates frequency without the negative connotation.
Common mistakes include using 动不动 to describe positive occurrences; it generally conveys negative situations. It's typically used in informal contexts, so be cautious in formal settings. A common collocation is 动不动就生病 (to get sick frequently).
Although 动不动 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it complements HSK 3 and 4 words related to health and frequency, such as 常常 (often) and 偶尔 (occasionally). Focus on understanding how it modifies the frequency of undesirable events.
Learners often confuse 动不动 with 常常 (often), mistakenly using it in contexts that describe positive events. For example, saying '他动不动就成功' (He easily succeeds) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '他常常成功'.
Pronunciation of 动不动
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Component Characters
How to say apt to happen (usually of sth undesirable) in Chinese
“apt to happen (usually of sth undesirable)” in Chinese is动不动
The phrase 动不动 refers to something that happens easily or frequently, often implying a negative or undesirable occurrence. It can describe events such as accidents or illnesses that occur with little provocation or warning.
When to use 动不动
Common mistakes include using 动不动 to describe positive occurrences; it generally conveys negative situations. It's typically used in informal contexts, so be cautious in formal settings. A common collocation is 动不动就生病 (to get sick frequently).
动不动 or something close to it
常常 (chángcháng, often) — use 动不动 when emphasizing the ease or undesirability of the occurrence, while 常常 simply indicates frequency without the negative connotation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 动不动 with 常常 (often), mistakenly using it in contexts that describe positive events. For example, saying '他动不动就成功' (He easily succeeds) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '他常常成功'.
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Frequently Asked Questions about 动不动
No, 动不动 is typically used for negative or undesirable events.
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