尽快

• Pinyin: jǐn kuài
• Hanzi breakdown: 尽 = simplified from 盡, meaning exhaust/utmost + 快 = 忄 (heart radical) + 夬 (decisive) — quick, happy

Meaning

As soon as possible; as quickly as possible. An adverb urging speed or promptness in completing an action.

Used to express urgency or the desire for something to happen without unnecessary delay. Common in both spoken and written Chinese, especially in instructions, requests, and workplace communication. Often placed before the main verb.

Examples

1. 请你尽快把报告交给我。 Please hand in the report to me as soon as possible.
2. 医生让他尽快去医院检查。 The doctor told him to go to the hospital for a check-up as soon as possible.
3. 我们要尽快解决这个问题。 We need to solve this problem as quickly as we can.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, requests, urgent situations

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 请尽快回复我的邮件。(Please reply to my email as soon as possible.)
• 你尽快来，我们在等你。(Come as soon as you can; we're waiting for you.)

Don't Say

• 我尽快了工作 (尽快 is an adverb modifying a verb, not a verb itself — say 我尽快完成了工作)

Origin & History

Composed of 尽 (to the utmost extent) and 快 (fast), literally meaning 'to the fullest extent fast' — i.e., as quickly as one can.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal