主动 zhǔ dòng
“to take the initiative; to do sth of one's own accord; spontaneous”
adverbial adjective, adjective, adjective / nounHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3Traditional 主動
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
主动 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 3541: 主动 zhǔdòng — Level 5; official annotation 5 (形). PDF page 168
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 主动
主动 describes doing something on your own initiative, without being asked or forced. It is used either before a verb (主动帮助、主动道歉) or after 很/不 as an adjective describing a person (他很主动). The typical pattern is 主动 + verb, often with 地 before the verb in longer sentences.
例句Example sentences
- 他主动帮我把箱子搬到楼上。tā zhǔ dòng bāng wǒ bǎ xiāng zǐ bān dào lóu shàng.He took the initiative to help me carry the box upstairs.
- 你应该主动跟老师说对不起。nǐ yīng gāi zhǔ dòng gēn lǎo shī shuō duì bù qǐ.You should take the initiative and apologize to the teacher.
- 开会的时候，她主动提出了一个问题。kāi huì de shí hou, tā zhǔ dòng tí chū le yí gè wèn tí.During the meeting, she took the initiative to raise a question.