‘摇晃’ is a compound verb meaning 'to shake', 'to sway', or 'to rock'—typically describing an unsteady, back-and-forth or side-to-side motion caused by external force or instability. The first character 摇 (yáo) conveys the idea of moving something repeatedly, often with the hands or body; the second character 晃 (huàng) adds emphasis on visible, rhythmic movement—especially when something wobbles or trembles. Together, they form a vivid, reduplicative-sounding verb that highlights both the action and its perceptible effect.

This word is commonly used for physical objects (e.g., a loose door, a tree in wind), people (e.g., someone dizzy or unsteady on their feet), and animals (e.g., a dog shaking off water or a horse shifting nervously). It often implies involuntary, uncontrolled, or slightly unstable motion—not deliberate, steady movement like ‘摆动’ (bǎidòng, to swing). It appears frequently in descriptive writing, spoken narratives, and instructions involving stability or balance.