耽误

• Pinyin: dān wu
• Hanzi breakdown: 耽 = 耳 + 冘 (to linger); 误 = 讠 + 吴 (to err, to miss)

Meaning

To delay; to miss (an opportunity, deadline, or chance); to cause harm or loss through delay.

Stronger than 耽搁, implying that the delay has led to a tangible negative consequence. Commonly used in contexts of missed opportunities, delayed medical treatment, or failed deadlines.

Examples

1. 治病不能耽误，一旦发现症状要立即就医。 You can’t delay treating an illness—once you notice symptoms, you should see a doctor right away.
2. 他的优柔寡断耽误了整个团队的工作进展。 His indecisiveness slowed down the whole team’s progress.
3. 由于长期缺课，她耽误了大量的学业。 Because she missed so many classes over a long period of time, she fell behind in a lot of her schoolwork.

Usage Guide

Context: health, work, education, time

Tone: concerned

Do Say

• 病情严重，不能再耽误了，必须马上手术。(The condition is serious — we cannot delay any longer; surgery must begin immediately.)
• 你耽误了最佳的治疗时机，现在恢复会更难。(You missed the optimal treatment window, making recovery much harder now.)

Don't Say

• 耽搁 and 耽误 are not always interchangeable — 耽误 implies a negative consequence has already occurred, while 耽搁 is a neutral delay; do not use 耽误 for minor inconveniences

Origin & History

耽 (to linger, delay) + 误 (to err, to miss)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal