开动 kāidòng to start
to start; to set in motion; to move; to march; to dig in (eating); to tuck in (eating)
How to remember 开动: 开 open + 动 move = to start.
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How it is used
- To start up machinery / set in motion - 开动机器 (kāidòng jīqì) to start the machine.
- Figurative 开动脑筋 (kāidòng nǎojīn) 'get your brain working, put your thinking cap on' is very common.
- Colloquially also 'dig in!' at a meal (开动了); contrast 开始 (kāishǐ), which is abstract 'to begin' anything.