Chinese–EnglishWith examples

拖延

tuō yán · tuo yan

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to delay
  2. to put off
  3. to procrastinate
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

Cleaning as procrastination

  1. Dengdeng

    这个(zhège)报告(bàogào)我(wǒ)又(yòu)拖延(tuōyán)了(le)一(yī)周(zhōu)。

    I put off this report for another week.

  2. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)的(de)拖延(tuōyán)越来越(yuèláiyuè)严重(yánzhòng)了(le)。

    Your procrastination is getting worse.

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)今天(jīntiān)一定(yīdìng)开始(kāishǐ)，我(wǒ)先(xiān)收拾(shōushi)房间(fángjiān)。

    I will definitely start today. First I will tidy my room.

  4. Liangliang

    这(zhè)也(yě)是(shì)拖延(tuōyán)啊(a)！

    That is procrastination too!

  5. Dengdeng

    对吧(duìba)，我的(wǒde)房间(fángjiān)现在(xiànzài)特别(tèbié)干净(gānjìng)。

    True. And my room is very clean now.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)不(bú)像(xiàng)我(wǒ)以(yǐ)前(qián)那(nà)么(me)拖(tuō)延(yán)了(le)。

I don't procrastinate as much as I used to.

Tatoeba: Chinese by slo_oth · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

不(bú)要(yào)拖(tuō)延(yán)去(qù)找(zhǎo)工(gōng)作(zuò)的(de)事(shì)。

Stop putting off finding a job.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Martha · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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