紧急

• Pinyin: jǐn jí
• Hanzi breakdown: 紧 = 臤 (firm) + 糸 (silk), meaning tight; 急 = 刍 (phonetic) + 心 (heart), meaning anxious or urgent

Meaning

Urgent; emergency. Describes a situation requiring immediate action or attention.

Used for serious, time-sensitive situations that demand prompt response. Commonly found in official and public contexts: 紧急通知 (emergency notice), 紧急出口 (emergency exit), 紧急情况 (emergency situation). More formal and severe than 着急 (anxious/worried).

Examples

1. 遇到紧急情况请拨打110。 In an emergency, please dial 110.
2. 医院收到了一个紧急电话。 The hospital received an emergency call.
3. 公司发了一个紧急通知。 The company issued an urgent notice.

Usage Guide

Context: safety, official, workplace

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 紧急出口在那边。(The emergency exit is over there.)
• 这是一件紧急的事情，请马上处理。(This is an urgent matter — please handle it immediately.)

Don't Say

• 我很紧急想上厕所。(Don't use 紧急 for personal urgency like needing the toilet — say 我很急 or 我急着上厕所. 紧急 is for serious emergencies.)

Origin & History

Compound of 紧 (tight, pressing) and 急 (urgent, anxious). Together they reinforce the meaning of something pressing and requiring immediate action.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal