迟

• Pinyin: chí
• Hanzi breakdown: 迟 = 辶 (walk radical) + 尺 (phonetic component), suggesting slow movement

Meaning

Late; tardy; delayed.

Describes being behind schedule or arriving after the expected time. Often used in compound words like 迟到 (to be late) or 推迟 (to postpone). Can also mean 'slow' in certain literary contexts.

Examples

1. 今天路上堵车，我到公司迟了十分钟。 There was a traffic jam today, and I arrived at the office ten minutes late.
2. 这件事宜早不宜迟，越快处理越好。 This matter should be handled sooner rather than later — the faster, the better.
3. 他做决定总是很迟，错过了不少好机会。 He always makes decisions late and has missed quite a few good opportunities.

Usage Guide

Context: time, scheduling, daily life

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 来得有点迟，抱歉。(I'm a bit late, sorry.)
• 这个回复来得太迟了。(This reply came too late.)

Don't Say

• 说'我迟了'不如说'我迟到了'更完整和自然——口语中通常用迟到 (Saying 我迟了 is less complete than 我迟到了 — the compound 迟到 is more natural in spoken Chinese)

Origin & History

An ancient Chinese character depicting slowness or delay. Found in classical texts meaning 'slow' or 'behind.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal