急遽

• Reading: きゅうきょ
• Romaji: kyuukyo
• Kanji breakdown: 急 (kyū) — urgent, sudden, hurry; 遽 (kyo) — hurried, rushed
• Pronunciation: /kʲɯː.kʲo/

Meaning

Hurriedly; in a rush; at short notice. Doing something suddenly because of unexpected circumstances.

An adverb describing actions taken suddenly and urgently, often due to unforeseen events. Appears in patterns like 急遽決まった (decided at the last minute), 急遽帰国した (returned home in a hurry), and 急遽変更された (changed on short notice). More formal and dramatic than 急に, implying a situation that demanded immediate response.

Examples

1. 会議が急遽中止になったと連絡が来た。 I received word that the meeting was canceled at the last minute.
2. 父が倒れたので急遽帰国することにした。 My father collapsed, so I decided to return home in a hurry.
3. 急遽代役を頼まれて準備する時間がなかった。 I was asked to fill in as a substitute at the last minute and had no time to prepare.

Usage Guide

Context: business, news, daily life, emergencies

Tone: urgent

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 急 (kyū, urgent/sudden) + 遽 (kyo, hurried/rushed). Both characters convey urgency, making this a doubly emphatic word for sudden, pressing action.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal