飞速 (fēi sù) — rapidly, at lightning speed | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Like 'at lightning speed' — describes a process happening very fast. 火速 focuses on urgent action in response to an order; 赶快/赶紧 urge someone to hurry.

adverb

rapidlyat lightning speed

Examples

飞速，。
Kē jì fēi sù fā zhǎn, gǎi biàn zhe rén men de shēng huó.
Technology is developing rapidly, changing people's lives.
飞速。
Huǒ chē fēi sù shǐ guò zhàn tái.
The train sped swiftly through the platform.
飞速。
Tā fēi sù dì xiě wán le zuò yè.
He finished his homework at lightning speed.

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 suggests flying and 速 denotes speed, giving the sense of flying speed.

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.

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

辵辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

束

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6

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