一动不动

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: yí dòng bú dòng
• English Translation: Motionless (not moving a muscle)
• Idiom Composition: 「一」（Even a single bit (used here to emphasize total negation)）＋「动」（To move or budge）＋「不」（Not (negation)）＋「动」（To move）
• Meaning: A state where a person or object is completely still without the slightest movement. It describes physical stillness resulting from shock, concentration, or simply being stationary.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「一动不动」 contains the following nuances:

• Absolute Stillness: The character 一 (yī) emphasizes that not even the smallest movement or vibration is present, highlighting a state of total rest.
• Intentional vs. Passive Stillness: The phrase is versatile; it can describe someone choosing to stay still (like a soldier or a cat) or being unable to move (due to shock, injury, or mechanical failure).

3. Usage

「一动不动」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Shock or Fear: Describes being frozen in place due to an unexpected event or intense emotion.
  • Example:「听到这个噩耗，他坐在沙发上一动不动，仿佛失去了灵魂。」
    （Hearing the tragic news, he sat on the sofa without moving a muscle, as if he had lost his soul.）
• Concentration or Observation: Describes staying perfectly still for a specific purpose, such as a hunter or a photographer waiting for the right moment.
  • Example:「那只猫趴在草丛里一动不动，死死盯着前面的老鼠。」
    （The cat crouched in the grass perfectly still, staring intently at the mouse in front of it.）
• Lethargy or Laziness: Can be used critically to describe someone who refuses to move or help out.
  • Example:「放假在家，他整天躺在床上一动不动，连饭都懒得吃。」
    （While at home on break, he lay in bed all day without budging, too lazy even to eat.）

Additional Examples:

1. 士兵们在烈日下一动不动地站了两个小时。
   （The soldiers stood motionless for two hours under the scorching sun.）
2. 为了不惊动蝴蝶，她屏住呼吸，一动不动。
   （To avoid startling the butterfly, she held her breath and stayed perfectly still.）
3. 由于腿受了伤，他只能躺在担架上一动不动。
   （Due to his leg injury, he could only lie motionless on the stretcher.）
4. 虽然心里很紧张，但他表面上却装作一动不动。
   （Although he was very nervous inside, he pretended to be completely still on the surface.）
5. 这台机器坏了，怎么按开关都一动不动。
   （This machine is broken; no matter how you press the switch, it won't budge.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• This idiom follows the common Chinese rhetorical structure 一 (yī) ... 不 (bù) ..., where the negation of the smallest unit (one) emphasizes a total lack of something. Other examples include 一尘不染 (yī chén bù rǎn), meaning 'not a speck of dust,' or 一言不发 (yī yán bù fā), meaning 'not saying a single word.'
• It is a highly versatile and visual expression used frequently in both casual conversation and descriptive literature to create a sense of tension or focus.
• Depending on the context, the lack of movement can imply positive traits like discipline and patience, or negative ones like laziness or being paralyzed by fear.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 纹丝不动 (wén sī bú dòng): Not moving even a hair's breadth; an even more emphatic way to describe absolute stillness.
  • 呆若木鸡 (dāi ruò mù jī): Dumbstruck like a wooden chicken; describes being frozen in place specifically due to shock or amazement.
  • 一言不发 (yī yán bù fā): Not saying a single word.link
  • 无声无息 (wú shēng wú xī): Without a sound or a trace.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 上蹿下跳 (shàng cuān xià tiào): Jumping up and down; describes being restless or running around frantically (often with a negative connotation of plotting).
  • 活蹦乱跳 (huó bèng luàn tiào): Skipping and jumping; describes being full of life, energy, and health.
  • 此起彼伏 (cǐ qǐ bǐ fú): To rise and fall in succession.link
  • 接二连三 (jiē èr lián sān): One after another, in continuous succession.link

6. Summary

一动不动 (yí dòng bú dòng) is a common expression used to describe something or someone that is 'perfectly still.' It utilizes the 一 (yī) ... 不 (bù) ... structure to emphasize that not even a single movement is occurring. Whether it is a soldier standing at attention, a person frozen in shock, or a broken machine, this phrase vividly captures the absolute absence of motion.