加速

• Pinyin: jiā sù
• Hanzi breakdown: 加 = 力 (strength) + 口 (mouth), meaning to add; 速 = 辶 (walking) + 束 (bundle), meaning speed

Meaning

To accelerate; to speed up. Increasing speed or pace.

Used both literally (vehicles accelerating) and figuratively (accelerating development, processes). Common in traffic, business, and technology contexts. The opposite is 减速 (to decelerate).

Examples

1. 司机在高速公路上加速到了一百二十公里每小时。 The driver accelerated to 120 kilometers per hour on the highway.
2. 政府出台新政策，加速城市基础设施建设。 The government introduced new policies to accelerate urban infrastructure construction.
3. 心跳加速可能是紧张或运动后的正常反应。 Increased heart rate may be a normal response to nervousness or after exercise.

Usage Guide

Context: driving, business, science, development

Tone: dynamic

Do Say

• 请加速，我们要迟到了。(Please speed up, we're going to be late.)
• 这个项目需要加速推进。(This project needs to be accelerated.)

Don't Say

• 加速你的声音 (加速 is for speed of movement or processes, not volume — use 提高 for voice)

Origin & History

Compound of 加 (to add, increase) + 速 (speed), meaning to increase speed.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal