Chinese phrases
How to say hurry up in Chinese
Hurry up in Chinese is 快点 (kuài diǎn), short for 快一点, “a bit faster.” When it’s urgent, put 赶紧 (gǎn jǐn) before the verb: 赶紧走, “let’s go, now.”
快点
hurry up
In 快点儿, say the last two characters as one syllable, diǎr. Many speakers in the south leave the 儿 out.
Ways to say hurry up
快点
Everydayhurry up
The everyday way, with family, friends and children. Often with a verb: 快点吃, 快点走.
快点儿
Everydayhurry up
The same word with the northern 儿 ending. You hear it in Beijing and across the north.
赶紧
Everydayquickly; right now
More urgent than 快点. It goes before a verb: 赶紧走, 赶紧吃.
快快快
With friendsquick, quick, quick!
When there are only seconds left: the bus is at the stop, the metro doors are closing.
抓紧时间
Everydaydon’t waste time
Teachers, bosses and tour guides say it to a group: 大家抓紧时间.
来不及了
Everydaywe won’t make it
Gives the reason to hurry: there isn’t enough time. Often 要来不及了, “we’re about to be late.”
What people say back
马上
right away
The usual answer. It can mean ten seconds or ten minutes.
来了来了
coming, coming!
When you are already on your way to the door.
好了好了
OK, OK, I’m ready
When you are nearly done, or a little tired of being rushed.
急什么
what’s the rush?
A complaint: there’s still time.
Common mistakes
Using 匆忙 for “hurry”
A dictionary may give 匆忙 for “hurry,” but it describes doing something in a rush. It is not a command. To tell someone to hurry, say 快点.
Saying a bare 快点 to staff
With family and friends, 快点 is normal. To a waiter or a driver it sounds like an order. Ask 能快点吗? or 麻烦快一点.
Hearing “come” in 来不及
来不及了 means “there isn’t enough time”: you will miss the train, or the film has started. It does not mean someone isn’t coming. That is 他不来了.
Late for the cinema
快点！电影七点开始。
Qiqi: Hurry up! The film starts at seven.
马上，我在穿鞋。
Leon: Coming, I’m putting my shoes on.
已经六点四十了，赶紧走！
Qiqi: It’s already six forty. We have to go now!
来了来了！
Leon: Coming, coming!
