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及时 (jí shí) — (adjective) timely; (adverb) promptly, without delay

Definition

及时 emphasizes that something happens at just the right moment (timely help, timely decision), focusing on the moment being right rather than speed. Compare with 准时 / 按时 (strictly on schedule) and 立刻 (pure speed, no 'rightness' implication).

adjective
timely
adverb
promptlywithout delay
Easily confused

Examples

  • 及时。
    Qǐng jí shí wán chéng zuò yè.
    Please complete the homework on time.
  • 及时。
    Tā de bāng zhù hěn jí shí.
    His help was very timely.
  • 及时。
    Wǒ men jí shí shōu dào le tōng zhī.
    We received the notice promptly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

及jíreach
时shítime

The 'reach' sense of 及 and the 'time' sense of 时 together mean to catch the right moment.

Characters in this word

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

及 pairs 人 (person) with 又 (hand), showing a hand grabbing a person.

Open 及 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Time (Abstract)5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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