即刻 (jí kè) — immediately, at once | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

即刻 is a formal adverb meaning 'immediately' — stronger and more literary than the everyday 马上 or 立刻, suited to written announcements and official contexts.

adverb

immediatelyat once

Examples

即刻。
Wǒ jí kè jiù dào bàn gōng shì.
I will go to the office immediately.
即刻。
Tā kàn dào tōng zhī hòu jí kè xíng dòng le.
He took action immediately after seeing the notice.
，即刻。
Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā jí kè liú xià le yǎn lèi.
Upon hearing this news, he immediately shed tears.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

即jíimmediately

刻kèmoment

即 means at once, and 刻 refers to a moment, so the whole idea is immediacy.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

皀皀jíancient round-mouthed food vessel
卩卩jiéto kneel

即 pairs 皀 (an ancient round-mouthed food vessel) with 卩 (to kneel), showing someone kneeling near the vessel to eat, so it means to come near or approach.

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Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亥刂刻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刂Written in full as刀dāo

Sound part声符shēngfú

亥

亥hài刻kè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

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