告急 (gào jí) — to be in an emergency situation; to report an emergency and ask for urgent help

Definition

A formal verb used in crises: it covers both being in an emergency and sending an SOS for urgent help (fronts, reservoirs, disaster zones). Most common in news, official reports, and emergency broadcasts rather than daily speech.

verb
to be in an emergency situationto report an emergency and ask for urgent help

Examples

  • 告急，。
    Qián xiàn gào jí, xū yào lì jí zēng yuán.
    The front line is in an emergency and needs immediate reinforcements.
  • ，。
    Shuǐ kù shuǐ wèi tài dī, yǐ jīng gào guò jí le.
    The reservoir water level is too low; they've already reported the emergency.
  • ，告急。
    Zāi qū wù zī duǎn quē, pín pín gào jí.
    The disaster area is short of supplies and frequently reports emergencies.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

告gàoreport
急jíemergency

告 (report) and 急 (emergency) combine to mean report an urgent situation.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is unclear: one theory sees 告 as 壴 (a decorated drum) above 口 (an open mouth), while another sees a tongue sticking out of 口.

Open 告 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí急jí
Same sound today

急 pairs 心 (heart) with 及, which gives the sound.

Open 急 →

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