出发

• Pinyin: chū fā
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = pictograph of a foot stepping out of a boundary; 发 = departure, to send out

Meaning

To set out; to depart. Used when leaving a place to begin a journey.

Commonly used for trips, journeys, and any planned departure. Often paired with time expressions to indicate when one leaves. Can also be used figuratively with 从...出发 meaning starting from a perspective.

Examples

1. 我们明天早上七点出发。 We are setting out at seven tomorrow morning.
2. 他已经出发去机场了。 He has already set out for the airport.
3. 从北京出发到上海坐高铁只要四个小时。 It only takes four hours by high-speed rail from Beijing to Shanghai.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, plans, departure

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们几点出发？(What time do we set out?)
• 他已经出发了。(He has already left.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'我出发了学校' — 出发 is intransitive. Say 我出发去学校了 (I set out for school) or 我从家出发了 (I departed from home).

Origin & History

Compound of 出 (to go out, to exit) and 发 (to send out, to launch). Together they mean to set out on a journey.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal