<p>Both 出发 and 动身 means "depart/ move out"</p>

<ul>
<li><p>出发 literally means 'launch out' . It is more colloquial</p></li>
<li><p>动身 literally means 'move oneself' . It is more literary</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>动身 emphasizes on the action of 'moving oneself from his current location' (imply starting a journey to a destination)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example: </p>

<ul>
<li>动身去北京 (depart for the journey to Beijing)</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>出发 emphasizes on the action of 'moving out' .  You can 出发 to a journey or 出发 to fulfill a mission</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example: </p>

<ul>
<li><p>出发去北京 (depart for the journey to Beijing)</p></li>
<li><p>出发去打仗 (off to fight a war)</p></li>
<li><p>出发去打猎 (off to hunting)</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>We don't say '动身去打仗' or '动身去打猎'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发 which mean “we decided on an early start”?</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Both mean "we decided to depart early."  The difference between 动身 and 出发 is stated above.</p>

<p>If you meant "off to a hunting trip", "off to fight a battle" or " depart for a sight seeing tour" , you can only use '出发'. If you meant "depart for a journey",  then either would be suitable.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-04T02:57:46.160Z
2017-10-07T04:36:17.623Z
2017-10-07T04:36:17.623Z
Tang Ho
<p>One <a href="http://jukuu.com/show-%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A-8.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">jukuu.com</a> example sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我们决定早动身<br>
  We determined on an early start<br>
  <sub>(Wǒmen juédìng zǎo dòngshēn)</sub></p>
</blockquote>

<p>This breaks up into: <a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC" rel="nofollow noreferrer">我们</a> = we, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">决定</a> = to decide, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%97%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">早</a> = early, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%8A%A8%E8%BA%AB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">动身</a> = to leave.</p>

<p>Another <a href="http://jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%91" rel="nofollow noreferrer">jukuu.com</a> example sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我们决定早些出发<br>
  We determined on an early start<br>
  <sub>(Wǒmen juédìng zǎo xiē chūfā)</sub></p>
</blockquote>

<p>This breaks up into: <a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC" rel="nofollow noreferrer">我们</a> = we, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">决定</a> = to decide, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%97%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">早</a> = early, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E4%BA%9B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">些</a> = a few, <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%91" rel="nofollow noreferrer">出发</a> = start off.</p>

<p>In English, I think "we decided on an early start" sounds better.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Is there a distinction between 我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发?</p>

<p>In particular, I'm confused as to why 些 is used in the second example.  And I'm wondering if there's any difference between 动身 and 出发 in this context.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-04T02:07:44.193Z
For the first, I'd use "早点动身". I don't see a difference without context.
fefe
<difference>
Is there a distinction between 我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发 which mean "we decided on an early start"?
# Is there a distinction between 我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发 which mean "we decided on an early start"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-04)

One [jukuu.com](http://jukuu.com/show-%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A-8.html) example sentence:

> 我们决定早动身  
> We determined on an early start  
> (Wǒmen juédìng zǎo dòngshēn)

This breaks up into: [我们](http://dict.cn/%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC) = we, [决定](http://dict.cn/%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A) = to decide, [早](http://dict.cn/%E6%97%A9) = early, [动身](http://dict.cn/%E5%8A%A8%E8%BA%AB) = to leave.

Another [jukuu.com](http://jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%91) example sentence:

> 我们决定早些出发  
> We determined on an early start  
> (Wǒmen juédìng zǎo xiē chūfā)

This breaks up into: [我们](http://dict.cn/%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC) = we, [决定](http://dict.cn/%E5%86%B3%E5%AE%9A) = to decide, [早](http://dict.cn/%E6%97%A9) = early, [些](http://dict.cn/%E4%BA%9B) = a few, [出发](http://dict.cn/%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%91) = start off.

In English, I think "we decided on an early start" sounds better.

**Question**: Is there a distinction between 我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发?

In particular, I'm confused as to why 些 is used in the second example. And I'm wondering if there's any difference between 动身 and 出发 in this context.

**Tags:** difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: For the first, I'd use "早点动身". I don't see a difference without context.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-10-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Both 出发 and 动身 means "depart/ move out"

* 出发 literally means 'launch out' . It is more colloquial
* 动身 literally means 'move oneself' . It is more literary

> 动身 emphasizes on the action of 'moving oneself from his current location' (imply starting a journey to a destination)

Example:

* 动身去北京 (depart for the journey to Beijing)

> 出发 emphasizes on the action of 'moving out' . You can 出发 to a journey or 出发 to fulfill a mission

Example:

* 出发去北京 (depart for the journey to Beijing)
* 出发去打仗 (off to fight a war)
* 出发去打猎 (off to hunting)

> We don't say '动身去打仗' or '动身去打猎'

~

> *我们决定早动身 and 我们决定早些出发 which mean “we decided on an early start”?*

Both mean "we decided to depart early." The difference between 动身 and 出发 is stated above.

If you meant "off to a hunting trip", "off to fight a battle" or " depart for a sight seeing tour" , you can only use '出发'. If you meant "depart for a journey", then either would be suitable.


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