来不及 (lái bu jí) — there is not enough time (to do something); it…

Definition

Means there is not enough time to do something, so it's too late. Compare 来得及 (just enough time / still in time).

verb

there is not enough time (to do something)it is too late (to do something)

来不及。
Wǒ lái bu jí chī zǎo fàn le.
I don't have time to eat breakfast.
来不及？
Xiàn zài chū fā huán lái bu jí ma?
Is it still not too late to set off now?
，来不及。
Tā pǎo dé hěn kuài, dàn hái shì lái bu jí le.
He ran very fast, but it was still too late.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

不及not reach

偏正Modifier + head

来 means to come, and 不及 means not reaching, so time is too short.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

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.

Appears in