已

• 拼音: yǐ
• 汉字拆解: 已 = evolved from a pictograph of a foetus or a plough; now a simple character with no decomposable radicals

含义

Already. A literary adverb indicating that an action or state has been completed.

A formal or literary equivalent of 已经, primarily used in written Chinese and set phrases. It appears frequently in news, official documents, and literary texts. In everyday speech, 已经 is strongly preferred. Common in fixed expressions like 已知 (already known) and 已完成 (already completed).

例句

1. 比赛已开始，请大家安静。
2. 这件事情我已知道了。
3. 报名时间已过，不能再报名了。

用法指南

语境: writing, news, official

语气: formal

正确说法

• 任务已完成。(The task has been completed.)
• 问题已解决。(The problem has been resolved.)

错误说法

• 我已吃饭了。(In casual speech, don't use 已 alone — say 已经吃了 instead. 已 on its own sounds too literary for everyday conversation.)

起源与历史

An ancient character originally meaning 'to stop' or 'to cease', which evolved into the meaning of 'already' — something that has ceased to be in progress because it is complete.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal