Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
生shēngto grow; to give birth; to produce
生 is a single shape of 5 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
Memory aidA shoot growing up out of the soil 土: to grow, to be born.
动dòngto move
云cloud · yún
力strength · lìMeaning part
Memory aidStrength 力 makes things move. In the full form 動, 重 (zhòng) gave the sound.
How to write 生动
生 5 strokes · 动 6 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 生动 (shēngdòng). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
生动 (shēngdòng) means “vivid” or “lively”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it shēngdòng: shēng with a 1st tone, then dòng with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 生动 is written 生動. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type shengdong with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 生动 from the suggestions. Typing shengdong into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
生动 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
生shēng1st tone, high and level
动dòng4th tone, falling
