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飞快 (fēi kuài) — very fast; at lightning speed; extremely sharp (of a blade)

Definition

An adjective (no 了) meaning 'very fast' or 'extremely sharp' — both senses are usually literal. Pairs with verbs via 得 (跑得飞快, 长得飞快) rather than modifying a noun directly.

adjective
very fastat lightning speedextremely sharp (of a blade)

Examples

  • 飞快。
    Tā pǎo dé fēi kuài.
    He runs very fast.
  • 飞快。
    Zhè bǎ dāo fēi kuài.
    This knife is extremely sharp.
  • 飞快。
    Qì chē kāi dé fēi kuài.
    The car drives very fast.

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.

飞fēifly
快kuàifast

The 快 speed is likened to 飞 flying, meaning very fast.

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 飛; 飞 is its simplified writing.

For 飞, the traditional form 飛 pictures a bird flying upwards.

Open 飞 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài快kuài
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

快 pairs the left part 忄 (full form 心, the heart) with the right part 夬, which gives the sound.

Open 快 →
Appears in
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