---
title: "Dongji Meaning: 动机 (dòngjī) Means “motive”"
description: "动机 (traditional 動機, dòngjī) means “motive; motivation”. Hear its tones, see what 动 and 机 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dongji"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 动机 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

动机 dòngjī

## motive; motivation

## Its characters

1. 动 dòng to move
2. 机 jī machine

## In a sentence

他这样做的动机是什么？ What was his motive for doing this?

[More about 动机](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8A%A8%E6%9C%BA)

## More words with 动 or 机

- [被动 bèidòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/beidong)
- [变动 biàndòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/biandong)
- [波动 bōdòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bodong)
- [不动产 bùdòngchǎn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/budongchan)
- [趁机 chènjī](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chenji)
- [冲动 chōngdòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chongdong)
- [出动 chūdòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chudong)
- [打动 dǎdòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dadong)
- [带动 dàidòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/daidong)
- [电动 diàndòng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/diandong)

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[All 214 Chinese radicals](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-radicals)

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