抖动 means 'to vibrate' or 'to shake slightly' — a gentle, often rapid back-and-forth motion. The first character 抖 (dǒu) on its own means 'to shake' or 'to shiver', while the second character 动 (dòng) means 'to move'. Together, they emphasize small-scale, involuntary, or rhythmic movement rather than forceful shaking. It’s commonly used to describe physical reactions like shivering from cold, nervous tremors, or the subtle quivering of muscles or surfaces.

This word frequently appears in contexts involving living beings — especially animals (e.g., a dog抖动 its fur after getting wet) — and mechanical or sensory phenomena (e.g., a phone screen抖动 when receiving a notification). Unlike the stronger verb 摇 (yáo, 'to sway') or the more violent 震 (zhèn, 'to shake violently'), 抖动 implies mildness and often repetition. It’s neutral in register and works in both spoken and written Chinese.