赶紧

• Pinyin: gǎn jǐn
• Hanzi breakdown: 赶 = 走 (walk) + 干 (phonetic), to hurry; 紧 = 臤 (firm) + 糸 (silk), meaning tight or urgent

Meaning

Hurry up; quickly; without delay. An adverb urging immediate action.

Used to urge someone to do something right away. Slightly more urgent than 赶快. Very common in spoken Chinese. Often used by parents, teachers, or in time-sensitive situations.

Examples

1. 天要下雨了，赶紧把衣服收进来。 It's about to rain, hurry and bring the clothes inside.
2. 你赶紧吃饭，要不然就凉了。 Hurry up and eat, otherwise it'll get cold.
3. 赶紧写作业，写完了才能看电视。 Hurry up and do your homework, you can watch TV only after you finish.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, family, conversation

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 赶紧出门吧，要迟到了！(Hurry up and leave, you're going to be late!)
• 你赶紧休息一下，别累坏了。(Hurry and rest a bit, don't exhaust yourself.)

Don't Say

• 请您赶紧处理这件事 (Don't use 赶紧 with formal 您 in professional settings — it sounds too casual and pushy; use 尽快 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 赶 (rush) and 紧 (tight, urgent), together conveying a strong sense of immediacy.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal