移动 (yí dòng) is primarily a verb meaning 'to move' — especially to change position or location physically, often implying controlled, deliberate, or mechanical motion. The character 移 (yí) means 'to shift, transfer, or relocate', while 动 (dòng) means 'to move, act, or stir'. Together, they emphasize purposeful movement from one place to another, not just spontaneous motion. It’s commonly used for moving objects (e.g., furniture), people (e.g., relocating offices), or abstract entities (e.g., data, files).

As an adjective, 移动 also appears in compound nouns like 移动电话 (yí dòng diànhuà, 'mobile phone') or 移动应用 (yí dòng yìngyòng, 'mobile app'), where it functions as a modifier meaning 'mobile' or 'portable'. In this adjectival use, it always precedes the noun and never stands alone. Unlike the verb form, the adjective usage is restricted to technological or modern contexts involving portability and wireless connectivity.