"Action" • Chinese-English Dictionary

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行为 xíng wéi action / conduct / behavior / activity
作用 zuò yòng to act on / to affect / action / function / activity / impact / result / effect / purpose / intent / (suffix) -ation, -tion etc, as in 抑制作用[yi4 zhi4 zuo4 yong4], inhibition
行动 xíng dòng operation / action / CL:個|个[ge4] / to move about / mobile
动作 dòng zuò movement / motion / action (CL:個|个[ge4]) / to act / to move
举动 jǔ dòng act / action / activity / move / movement
手脚 shǒu jiǎo hand and foot / movement of limbs / action / trick / step in a procedure (CL:道[dao4])
行事 xíng shì to execute / to handle / behavior / action / conduct
起来 qi lai (after a verb) indicating the beginning and continuation of an action or a state / indicating an upward movement (e.g. after 站[zhan4]) / indicating completion / (after a perception verb, e.g. 看[kan4]) expressing preliminary judgment / also pr. [qi3lai5]
出来 chu lai (after a verb, indicates coming out, completion of an action, or ability to discern or detect)
方案 fāng àn plan / program (for action etc) / proposal / proposed bill / CL:個|个[ge4],套[tao4]
下来 xià lai to come down / (completed action marker) / (after verb of motion, indicates motion down and towards us, also fig.) / (indicates continuation from the past towards us) / to be harvested (of crops) / to be over (of a period of time) / to go among the masses (said of leaders)
加以 jiā yǐ in addition / moreover / (used before a disyllabic verb to indicate that the action of the verb is applied to sth or sb previously mentioned) / to apply (restrictions etc) to (sb) / to give (support, consideration etc) to (sth)
手下 shǒu xià under one's control or administration / subordinates / (money etc) on hand / sb's financial means / when taking action
实务 shí wù practice (customary action, as opposed to theory) / practical
好事 hǎo shì good action, deed, thing or work (also sarcastic, "a fine thing indeed") / charity / happy occasion / Daoist or Buddhist ceremony for the souls of the dead
全自动 quán zì dòng automatic action / full automatic
一举 yī jǔ a move / an action / in one move / at a stroke / in one go
处分 chǔ fèn to discipline sb / to punish / disciplinary action / to deal with (a matter) / CL:個|个[ge4]
一经 yī jīng as soon as / once (an action has been completed)
动作片 dòng zuò piàn action movie / CL:部[bu4]
打招呼 dǎ zhāo hu to greet sb by word or action / to give prior notice
另行 lìng xíng (to do sth) separately / as a separate action
不约而同 bù yuē ér tóng (idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation / (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently / as if by prior agreement
作法 zuò fǎ course of action / method of doing sth / practice / modus operandi
了 le (completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) / (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
在 zài to exist / to be alive / (of sb or sth) to be (located) at / (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
分寸 fēn cun propriety / appropriate behavior / proper speech or action / within the norms
先发 xiān fā to take preemptive action / (sports) to be in the starting lineup / (of a baseball pitcher) to be the starting pitcher
玩偶 wán ǒu toy figurine / action figure / stuffed animal / doll / (fig.) sb's plaything
凑热闹 còu rè nao to join in the fun / to get in on the action / (fig.) to butt in / to create more trouble
硬要 yìng yào firmly set on doing sth / to insist on doing / determined in one's course of action
行动计划 xíng dòng jì huà action plan
实景 shí jǐng real scene (not set up or posed) / real location (not a film studio set or theater) / live action (not animation)
势在必行 shì zài bì xíng circumstances require action (idiom) / absolutely necessary / imperative
刻不容缓 kè bù róng huǎn to brook no delay / to demand immediate action
奋发 fèn fā to rouse to vigorous action / energetic mood
重头戏 zhòng tóu xì opera (or role) involving much singing and action / (fig.) highlight / main feature / major activity
后路 hòu lù escape route / retreat route / communication lines to the rear / alternative course of action / room for maneuver
染指 rǎn zhǐ to dip a finger (idiom) / fig. to get one's finger in the pie / to get a share of the action / abbr. for 染指於鼎|染指于鼎
着 zhe aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state
下 xià down / downwards / below / lower / later / next (week etc) / second (of two parts) / to decline / to go down / to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) / measure word to show the frequency of an action
过 guo (experienced action marker)
手办 shǒu bàn garage kit / action figure / model figure
一言一行 yī yán yī xíng every word and action (idiom)
妄动 wàng dòng to rush indiscriminately into action
策动 cè dòng to conspire / to plot (a rebellion, crime etc) / to machinate / to spur on / to urge action
妄为 wàng wéi to take rash action
请愿 qǐng yuàn petition (for action to be taken)
作用力 zuò yòng lì (physics) action force
策应 cè yìng to support by coordinated action
药理作用  pharmacological action
挂彩 guà cǎi to decorate for festive occasions / to be wounded in action
被 bèi quilt / to cover (with) / (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) / used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) / (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊|被旅游[bei4 lu:3you2] to "go on a trip")
加 jiā to add / plus / (used after an adverb such as 不, 大, 稍 / etc, and before a disyllabic verb, to indicate that the action of the verb is applied to sth or sb previously mentioned) / to apply (restrictions etc) to (sb) / to give (support, consideration etc) to (sth)
快刀斩乱麻 kuài dāo zhǎn luàn má lit. quick sword cuts through tangled hemp (idiom) / decisive action in a complex situation / cutting the Gordian knot
步调一致 bù diào yī zhì to be united in action
武打片 wǔ dǎ piàn action movie / kungfu movie
激将 jī jiàng to spur sb into action by making negative remarks
先斩后奏 xiān zhǎn hòu zòu lit. first execute the criminal, then report it to the emperor (idiom) / fig. to take some drastic action without the prior approval of higher authorities
惩办 chéng bàn to punish (someone) / to take disciplinary action against (someone)
自食其果 zì shí qí guǒ to eat one's own fruit (idiom) / fig. suffering the consequences of one's own action / to reap what one has sown
散兵游勇 sǎn bīng yóu yǒng lit. straggling and disbanded soldiers (idiom) / fig. disorganized uncoordinated action
吃官司 chī guān sī to face legal action / to get sued
呢 ne particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?") / particle for inquiring about location ("Where is ...?") / particle signaling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words and allow the listener time to take them on board ("ok?", "are you with me?") / (at the end of a declarative sentence) particle indicating continuation of a state or action / particle indicating strong affirmation
一哄而起 yī hōng ér qǐ (of a group of people) to rush into action
独断独行 dú duàn dú xíng to decide and act alone (idiom) / to take arbitrary action / a law unto oneself
刻舟求剑 kè zhōu qiú jiàn lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom) / fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances
面授机宜 miàn shòu jī yí (idiom) to brief sb in person on the line of action to pursue / to advise face-to-face on how to deal with the present situation
邓世昌 Dèng Shì chāng Deng Shichang (1849-1894), Qing dynasty naval specialist, founded naval dockyards and two naval colleges, died heroically in action against the Japanese
急如星火 jí rú xīng huǒ lit. as hurried as a shooting star (idiom) / requiring immediate action / extremely urgent
措 cuò to handle / to manage / to put in order / to arrange / to administer / to execute / to take action on / to plan
泡 pào bubble / foam / blister / to soak / to steep / to infuse / to dawdle / to loiter / to pick up (a girl) / to get off with (a sexual partner) / classifier for occurrences of an action / classifier for number of infusions
特立独行 tè lì dú xíng to be unconventional / independence of action
马后炮 mǎ hòu pào lit. firing after the horse / fig. belated action / giving advice in hindsight
摩拳擦掌 mó quán cā zhǎng fig. to rub one's fists and wipe one's palms (idiom) / to roll up one's sleeves for battle / eager to get into action or start on a task
独断专行 dú duàn zhuān xíng to decide and act alone (idiom) / to take arbitrary action / a law unto oneself
一念之差 yī niàn zhī chā momentary slip / false step / ill-considered action
逼上梁山 bī shàng liáng shān driven to join the Liangshan Mountain rebels / to drive to revolt / to force sb to desperate action
振臂一呼 zhèn bì yī hū to issue a call for action / to raise one's hand and issue a rousing call (idiom)
抱薪救火 bào xīn jiù huǒ lit. to carry firewood to put out a fire (idiom) / fig. to make a problem worse by inappropriate action
尾大不掉 wěi dà bù diào large tail obstructs action (idiom) / bottom heavy / fig. rendered ineffective by subordinates
引而不发 yǐn ér bù fā to pull the bow without shooting (idiom from Mencius) / ready and waiting for action / to go through the motions / to practice / a trial run
救焚益薪 jiù fén yì xīn add firewood to put out the flames (idiom) / fig. ill-advised action that only makes the problem worse / to add fuel to the fire
染指于鼎 rǎn zhǐ yú dǐng lit. dip one's finger in the tripod (idiom) / fig. to get one's finger in the pie / to get a share of the action
流星赶月 liú xīng gǎn yuè lit. a meteor catching up with the moon / swift action (idiom)
狗急跳墙 gǒu jí tiào qiáng a cornered dog will jump over the wall (idiom) / to be driven to desperate action
请将不如激将 qǐng jiàng bù rú jī jiàng lit. to dispatch a general is not as effective as to excite a general / fig. inciting people to action is more effective than dispatching orders
投袂而起 tóu mèi ér qǐ lit. to shake one's sleeves and rise (idiom) / fig. to get excited and move to action
相机而动 xiàng jī ér dòng to wait for the opportune moment before taking action (idiom)
开弓不放箭 kāi gōng bù fàng jiàn lit. to draw the bow without shooting the arrow (idiom) / fig. to bluff / to be all talk and no action / false bravado
只说不做 zhǐ shuō bù zuò to be all talk and no action
缺德事 quē dé shì misdeed / immoral action / wicked deed / a deliberate wrongdoing
放空炮 fàng kōng pào (lit.) to fire blank shots / (fig.) to be all talk and no action / to shoot one's mouth off / to make empty promises
人民行动党 Rén mín Xíng dòng dǎng People's Action Party (ruling party in Singapore)
一杯羹 yī bēi gēng lit. a cup of soup / fig. to get part of the profits / one's share of the action
作战失踪人员 zuò zhàn shī zōng rén yuán missing in action (MIA) (military)
光说不做 guāng shuō bù zuò (idiom) to be all talk and no action / to preach what one does not practice
兵来将挡，水来土掩 bīng lái jiàng dǎng , shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom) / different situations call for different action / to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
兵来将敌，水来土堰 bīng lái jiàng dí , shuǐ lái tǔ yàn counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom) / different situations call for different action / to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
刘家辉 Liú Jiā huī Gordon Liu (1955-), Hong Kong action actor
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