MotionLang

All motion entries

MotionLang's index of 112 named motions, each with its Chinese, English and Japanese name, a one-line definition, when to use it, its parameters, a recipe, and one sentence you can hand to an AI.

112 motions · Glossary updated 2026-10-09

Entrances & Exits 8

How elements first appear on screen: how they arrive, and whether direction matters.

Sequencing & Timing 5

Who moves first, who follows, and how long each takes — the rhythm of a group.

Movement & Transforms 7

Changing an element's position, angle and orientation without changing its content.

Transitions Between States 12

How content turns from state A into state B within the same view.

Scroll 13

Motion tied to scrolling: where and how fast you scroll decides what moves.

Feedback & Interaction 15

The immediate response after a user action, confirming that it registered.

Easing 7

How speed changes over time — what makes motion feel stiff or natural.

Spring 5

Motion that behaves like a real object: mass, velocity, and interruptible.

Looping & Ambient 8

Animations that repeat, holding an atmosphere or signalling an ongoing state.

Polish & Effects 11

Specific techniques that add finish, best used sparingly at one or two key spots.

Principles 4

The underlying rules behind good motion, plus the lines you should not cross.

Text Effects 5

The words themselves move: how letters drop, how a band of light sweeps across them. Not what the text says — the letterforms are what animates.

Cursor & Pointer 4

The interface answers before any click: where the pointer passes or rests decides what the page does.

Atmosphere & Background 5

Motion that fills the whole background and never quite settles. Nothing in particular moves — the air of the page does.

Liquid & Organic 3

Droplets that pull together, merge and part again. The shape finds its own balance and every edge stays soft.

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