迟迟 (chí chí) — slowly, tardily; (of an expected action) delaye…

Definition

迟迟 emphasizes that an expected action is unacceptably delayed — used almost only in 迟迟没有/不… constructions. Unlike 晚 (late, about time) or 晚点 (a scheduled service is late), it judges the slowness, not the clock.

adverb

slowlytardily(of an expected action) delayed or overdue

Examples

迟迟。
Tā chí chí méi yǒu wán chéng zuò yè.
She has been slow to finish her homework.
迟迟。
Gōng sī chí chí méi yǒu fā fàng gōng zī.
The company has been slow to pay salaries.
迟迟。
Tā chí chí wú fǎ zuò chū jué dìng.
He has been unable to make a decision.

Origin

Reduplicated word

构词法gòucífǎ

重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

迟chílate/slow

The repeated 迟 gives a slow, drawn-out sense of delay.

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.

辶尺迟

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmotion

Sound part声符shēngfú

尺

尺chǐ迟chí

Same sound today

迟 pairs 辶, a walking sign, with 尺, used for the sound.

Open 迟 →