滚动 (gǔn dòng) literally combines 滚 (to roll, to tumble) and 动 (to move), together meaning 'to scroll' or 'to roll'. In modern usage, it most commonly refers to the digital action of scrolling content on a screen — like moving text or images up, down, or sideways in a browser, app, or document. This sense is ubiquitous in computing and mobile interfaces.

It can also retain its physical meaning — describing something round rolling along a surface (e.g., a ball, wheel, or log), though this usage is less frequent in everyday speech today. The word functions as a verb and typically appears with aspect markers (e.g., 滚动着, 滚动了) or as part of compound verbs like 自动滚动 (auto-scroll). It’s neutral in register and widely understood across age groups and contexts.