早

• Pinyin: zǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 早 = 日 (sun) + 十 (a cross shape, possibly phonetic) — the sun in the early morning

Meaning

Early; morning. Describes an early time of day, or used as a greeting meaning 'good morning.'

Used both as an adjective meaning 'early' and as a casual greeting equivalent to 'morning!' The full greeting form is 早上好 (good morning), but a simple 早 is very common among friends and colleagues. Also appears in compounds like 早饭 (breakfast), 早上 (morning).

Examples

1. 今天我起得很早。 I got up very early today.
2. 早！你吃早饭了吗？ Morning! Have you had breakfast?
3. 时间还早，不着急。 It's still early; no rush.

Usage Guide

Context: greetings, time, everyday

Tone: friendly

Do Say

• 早！今天天气真好。(Morning! The weather is great today.)
• 你来得真早。(You arrived really early.)

Don't Say

• 下午见面时说'早'。(Don't greet someone with 早 in the afternoon or evening — it's only for mornings)

Origin & History

Composed of 日 (sun) + 十 (ten, possibly a phonetic element). The sun at the start of the day — hence 'early morning.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal