What is the Kanji for "Move"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Move", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Move" is "動".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Ugo".

Its onyomi reading is "Dou".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "重" means "Heavy" and can be read as "Juu", "Chou", "Omo", and "Kasa". And The kanji "力" means "Power" and can be read as "Riki", "Ryoku", and "Chikara".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "動" mean in japanese?

"動" means "Move".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Third Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

動く: "Move". The Japanese verb '動く (うごく)' means 'to move'. This verb is used to describe the physical movement of an object, person, or living being. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as describing the movement of a car, the movements of a dancer, or the activity of an animal. For example: The car moves quickly - (車が速く動く). The dog moves around the yard - (犬が庭を動きまわる).

自動: "Automatic" or "Self-acting". The Japanese noun '自動 (じどう)' means 'automatic' or 'self-acting'. It describes something that operates or functions independently, without direct human control. This word is often used to describe mechanical or electronic devices that can work on their own, such as automatic doors or self-driving cars. Examples: Automatic doors - (自動ドア), Self-operating machine - (自動機械)

動き: "Movement". The noun '動き (うごき)' means 'movement'. This word is used to describe the act or process of changing position or location. It can be used to refer to the physical movement of objects, people or animals, as well as the abstract movement of ideas, emotions or processes. For example: The dancer's graceful movements - (踊り手の優雅な動き). The movement of stocks on the market - (株式市場の動き).

動物: "Animal". The Japanese noun '動物 (どうぶつ)' refers to any living, non-human organism. It includes a wide range of creatures such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. '動物' is a general term that encompasses all non-human life forms. For example: I love watching the animals at the zoo - (動物園の動物を見るのが大好きです). The zoo has many different types of animals - (動物園にはさまざまな種類の動物がいます).

運動: "Exercise". The Japanese verbal noun '運動 (うんどう)' means 'exercise'. This noun refers to physical activity done for the purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness. It can be used to describe various forms of workout, such as working out at the gym, going for a run, or playing sports. For example: I do exercise every day - (私は毎日運動をしています). Let's go exercise together - (一緒に運動しましょう).

活動: "Activity". The Japanese verbal noun '活動 (かつどう)' means 'activity'. This word refers to a specific action, task, or pursuit that a person or group engages in. It can describe physical, mental, or social actions. For example: Her daily activities include going to work, exercising, and meeting friends - (彼女の日常的な活動には、仕事に行く、運動する、友人と会うなどがある)。She is involved in volunteer activities in her community - (彼女は地域でボランティア活動に参加している).

不動産屋: "Real estate agent". The Japanese noun '不動産屋 (ふどうさんや)' refers to a real estate agent or realtor. These are professionals who assist with the buying, selling, and renting of properties such as houses, apartments, and commercial buildings. They help clients find suitable properties, negotiate deals, and handle the paperwork involved in real estate transactions. For example: The real estate agent showed us several properties today - (不動産屋は今日、私たちに複数の物件を紹介してくれました).

自動車: "Car". The Japanese noun '自動車 (じどうしゃ)' means 'car'. It refers to a motor vehicle, typically with four wheels, that is powered by an engine and used to transport passengers. Cars are a common mode of transportation in Japan and worldwide. For example: I went to the store by car - (車で店に行きました). Let's go for a drive in my new car - (新しい車に乗って出かけましょう).

動物園: "Zoo". The Japanese noun '動物園 (どうぶつえん)' refers to a public park or enclosure where wild animals are kept so that people can go and observe them. Zoos serve both educational and entertainment purposes, allowing visitors to learn about and appreciate different species of animals in a controlled and protected environment. For example: We went to the zoo yesterday - (私たちは昨日動物園に行きました). The zoo has many different animals - (動物園にはいろいろな動物がいます).

動かす: "Move". The Japanese verb '動かす (うごかす)' means 'to move'. It is used to describe the act of making something, an object or person, change location or position. This verb can be used in a wide variety of situations, such as moving furniture, cars, or even a person's body. For example: She moved the table - (彼女は机を動かした). I will move the box - (私は箱を動かすつもりです).

動産: "Chattel". The Japanese noun '動産 (どうさん)' means 'chattel'. It refers to movable or personal property, as opposed to real estate or immovable property. Chattels are items of property that are not permanently attached to land or buildings. Examples include furniture, vehicles, and other personal belongings. 動産 is often used in legal and financial contexts when discussing the ownership and transfer of personal property. For example: The bank seized the company's chattels - (銀行は企業の動産を差し押さえた).

移動: "Movement". The Japanese verbal noun '移動 (いどう)' means 'movement'. This noun refers to the act of moving or changing position from one place to another. It can be used to describe the physical movement of a person or object, as well as the more abstract idea of changing circumstances or conditions. For example: The traffic move slowly because of the accident - (事故のため交通が移動しにくい). My new job will require a lot of movement - (新しい仕事では移動が多くなります).

行動: "Action" or "Behavior". The japanese verbal noun '行動 (こうどう)' means 'action' or 'behavior'. It refers to the way someone conducts themselves or the things they do. It can describe physical actions or more abstract behaviors. For example: I will take action - (行動する). His behavior is strange - (彼の行動は奇妙だ).

運動会: "Sports festival". The Japanese noun '運動会 (うんどうかい)' refers to a sports festival or athletic event, usually held at schools. It is a day where students participate in various competitive sports and physical activities. これは毎年の学校の運動会です - (This is our school's annual sports festival).学校の運動会は楽しかった - (The school sports festival was fun).

運動場: "Playground". The Japanese noun '運動場 (うんどうじょう)' refers to an open, outdoor space used for physical activities and sports, such as a schoolyard or public park. It is a designated area for children and people to engage in various forms of exercise, play, and recreation. For example: The school has a large playground - (学校には大きな運動場がある). I like to exercise at the local playground - (近所の運動場で運動するのが好きです).

動作: "Action" or "Movement". The Japanese noun '動作 (どうさ)' means 'action' or 'movement'. It refers to a physical or mental action, behavior, or activity. This word can be used to describe the actions or movements of people, animals, or mechanical devices. For example: I performed many actions during my workout - (私はワークアウト中に多くの動作をした). The robot's movements were very precise - (ロボットの動作はとてもきちんとしていた).

動機: "Motivation". The Japanese noun '動機 (どうき)' refers to the reason, drive or incentive that prompts a person to take action or behave in a certain way. It can describe both positive and negative motivations. For example: She was motivated by a desire to succeed - (彼女は成功したいという動機がありました). His motivation was to impress his boss - (上司を印象づけたいという動機がありました).

変動: "Change". The noun '変動 (へんどう)' means 'change'. This word refers to a significant shift or alteration, often in a situation, condition, or behavior. It can describe changes in the economy, politics, or other systems. For example: Economic changes - (経済の変動). The stock market experienced a major change - (株式市場は大きな変動を経験した).

感動: "Emotion". The Japanese verbal noun '感動 (かんどう)' means 'emotion'. It refers to a strong feeling or sentiment, often of joy, excitement, or awe. This word can be used to describe an emotional response to a person, event, or experience. For example: The concert was so moving, it evoked strong emotions in me - (そのコンサートはとても感動的で、私に強い感動を与えた). He felt a sense of deep emotion - (彼は強い感動を覚えた).

振動: "Vibration". The Japanese verbal noun '振動 (しんどう)' means 'vibration'. This noun is used to describe the rapid, regular movement back and forth of an object or substance. It can refer to mechanical vibrations, such as those caused by machinery or earthquakes, as well as other types of oscillations. For example: The vibration of the engine is very strong - (エンジンの振動は非常に強い). The earthquake caused strong vibrations - (地震が強い振動を引き起こした).

動詞: "Verb". The Japanese word '動詞 (どうし)' refers to a verb, which is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. Verbs are a crucial part of speech in the Japanese language and are used to describe actions, events, and conditions. For example: The boy runs - (男の子が走る). I eat sushi - (私は寿司を食べる).

起動: "Start". The noun '起動 (きどう)' means 'start'. It refers to the act of initiating or launching a computer, device or system. This term is commonly used in the context of technology, such as starting up a computer, activating an application, or powering on an electronic device. For example: The computer started up quickly - (コンピューターは素早く起動した). I need to start my car - (車を起動させる必要がある).

動向: "Trend". The noun '動向 (どうこう)' refers to the general direction, movement or trend of something, such as public opinion, events, policies, etc. It can be used to describe the current state, development or shifts in a particular situation or issue. For example: The political trends are changing - (政治の動向が変わってきている). We need to monitor the latest industry trends - (最新の業界動向を注視する必要がある).

動員: "Mobilization". The Japanese noun '動員 (どういん)' means 'mobilization'. It refers to the process of summoning and organizing people, especially military personnel, for active service or some other purpose. This can involve calling up reserve forces, or assembling civilian populations for tasks such as civil defense. For example: The army carried out a mobilization in response to the crisis - (軍隊は危機に対応して動員を行った). The government ordered a general mobilization - (政府は総動員を命令した).

動力: "Power". The Japanese noun '動力 (どうりょく)' means 'power'. This word refers to the energy or force that drives or activates something, such as the power that makes a machine or vehicle move. It can be used to describe both physical and abstract forms of power. For example: The car has a powerful engine - (その車は強い動力を持っている). The economic power of the company - (その企業の強力な動力)

動揺: "Unrest". The noun '動揺 (どうよう)' means 'unrest'. This word refers to a state of disturbance, agitation, or instability, either in one's emotions or in a situation. It can describe feelings of anxiety, nervousness, or a lack of composure. For example: The stock market crash caused widespread unrest in the economy - (株式市場の暴落は経済に広範囲な動揺を引き起こした). They felt unrest about the upcoming exam - (彼らは今回の試験に動揺を感じていた).

流動: "Fluidity" or "Flow". The Japanese noun '流動 (りゅうどう)' refers to the state or property of being fluid, liquid, or flowing. It can describe the physical movement or motion of a substance, as well as more abstract ideas of change or progression. For example: The fluidity of the water - (水の流動)は美しい. The flow of time - (時間の)流動は早い.

騒動: "Disturbance". The Japanese noun '騒動 (そうどう)' means 'disturbance'. It refers to a noisy or turbulent situation, commotion, or public disturbance. This word is often used to describe events or incidents that cause significant disruption or chaos, such as protests, riots, or social unrest. For example: There was a disturbance in the city last night - (昨晩、街で騒動があった). The student protest turned into a major disturbance - (学生の抗議は大きな騒動になった).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "ど" is read as "do". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". And The hiragana "ご" is read as "go".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.