动

dòng

(of sth) to move

to set in movement; to displace; to touch; to make use of; to stir (emotions); to alter; abbr. for 動詞|动词[dong4 ci2], verb

clouds (云) + force (力) = move or set in motion

力 carries the core meaning: force or effort is what causes movement. 云 is largely phonetic here, lending the sound toward dòng rather than shaping the meaning.

云+力→动
云CloudsPhonetic
力ForceSemantic

你动了我桌上的东西吗?

nǐ dòng le wǒ zhuō shàng de dōng xi ma?

Did you move the things on my desk?

他讲的故事让我很感动。

tā jiǎng de gù shi ràng wǒ hěn gǎn dòng。

The story he told moved me deeply.

Words with 动

劳动节

láo dòng jié

International Labor Day (May Day)

动植物

dòng zhí wù

plants and animals

打动

dǎ dòng

to move (to pity)

劳动改造

láo dòng gǎi zào

reeducation through labor

传动轴

chuán dòng zhóu

drive shaft

推动

tuī dòng

to push (e.g. for acceptance of a plan); to promote; to give impetus to

电动机

diàn dòng jī

electric motor

五卅运动

wǔ sà yùn dòng

anti-imperialist movement of 30th May 1925, involving general strike esp. in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong etc

啮齿动物

niè chǐ dòng wù

rodent

活动

huó dòng

to exercise; to move about; to work out

新文化运动

xīn wén huà yùn dòng

the New Culture Movement (mid-1910s and 1920s), intellectual revolution against Confucianism aiming to introduce Western elements, especially democracy and science

朝鲜劳动党

cháo xiǎn láo dòng dǎng

Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the ruling party of North Korea

More characters with 云

坛芸侌耘纭运