1.
bodily movement; stirring; moving around
Physical movement of one's body. Most commonly used in the negative form to describe being unable to move due to being trapped, crowded, or otherwise constrained.
身動きが取れない。
I can't move.
満員電車で身動きが取れなかった。
I couldn't move on the packed train.
借金が増えすぎて、経済的に身動きが取れない状態になってしまった。
The debt piled up so much that I ended up in a situation where I couldn't move financially.
USAGE: 身動き is almost always used in the negative pattern 身動きが取れない (unable to move). It can describe physical inability to move (in a crowd, when restrained) or figurative inability to act (due to financial problems, obligations, etc.).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 身動きが取れない: unable to move, stuck
- 身動きできない: unable to stir
- 身動き一つしない: not moving a muscle
The word is a compound of 身 (body) and 動き (movement).