急切 (jí qiè) — eager, impatient; urgent, pressing

Definition

Stronger and more emotional than 急 — describes a personal, eager urgency. For neutral, objective urgency use 紧急 or 紧迫.

adjective

eagerimpatienturgentpressing

急切。
Tā jí qiè dì xiǎng jiàn dào jiā rén.
He is eager to see his family.
急切。
Zhè ge wèn tí de jiě jué shí fēn jí qiè.
The solution to this problem is very urgent.
急切。
Tā de yǔ qì xiǎn de hěn jí qiè.
Her tone sounded very urgent.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

切qièpressing

急 means 'urgent' and 切 means 'pressing', together urgent and eager.

Characters in this word

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

Same sound today

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

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

七刀切

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刀刀dāoknife

Sound part声符shēngfú

七

七qī切qiè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Appears in