尽早

• Pinyin: jǐn zǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 尽 = 尺 (simplified) — to exhaust, to the utmost; 早 = 日 + 十 — early, morning

Meaning

As early as possible; at the earliest opportunity. Emphasizing the importance of doing something soon.

A formal way to express urgency or preference for promptness. More emphatic than 早点 and often used in professional or official contexts. Commonly paired with verbs of action like 完成 (complete), 解决 (solve), or 通知 (notify).

Examples

1. 请尽早提交申请材料，以免错过截止日期。 Please submit your application materials as early as possible to avoid missing the deadline.
2. 医生建议她尽早手术，否则病情可能会恶化。 The doctor recommended she have surgery as soon as possible, otherwise the condition might worsen.
3. 这个问题我们需要尽早解决，拖下去只会越来越麻烦。 We need to solve this problem as early as possible — delaying it will only make it more troublesome.

Usage Guide

Context: professional, medical, official

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 请尽早回复。(Please reply as soon as possible.)
• 尽早处理这件事。(Handle this matter at the earliest opportunity.)

Don't Say

• 在非常随意的口语中用'尽早' (Don't use 尽早 in very casual speech — use 早点 or 赶紧 instead; 尽早 sounds formal)

Origin & History

Composed of 尽 (to the utmost; as much as possible) + 早 (early). Together meaning as early as one possibly can.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Professional contexts