趕 (gǎn) - To chase & to pursue

趕Tone 3

gǎn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

趕 · gǎn

To chase;

to pursue;

to drive away;

to hurry;

to rush;

to catch up with;

to overtake.

To chaseto pursueto drive away

Usage highlights

To hurryTo catch upTo drive awayTo rush to do somethingTo chase afterTo expel

Synonyms

  • 追— to chase, to pursue
  • 逐— to expel, to drive out
  • 驱— to drive, to spur on

Antonyms

  • 逃— to flee, to escape
  • 避— to avoid, to evade
  • 落— to fall behind, to lag

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He hurried to catch the bus (赶公共汽车).
  • She chased the thief down the street (赶小偷).
  • They are rushing to meet the deadline (赶工期).
  • We need to drive away the flies (赶苍蝇).

Collocations

  • To hurry(赶快)
  • To catch up(赶上)
  • To drive away(赶走)
  • To rush to do something(赶着做)
  • To chase after(追赶)
  • To expel(驱逐赶)

Idioms

  • Chasing ducks onto a perch — forcing someone to do something beyond their ability(赶鸭子上架)
  • Chasing the heat and avoiding the cold(赶热避寒)
  • Driving the clouds and chasing the moon(驱云赶月)
  • Chasing after the wind and catching the shadow — futile effort(赶风捕影)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted the action of chasing animals on horseback, evolving to general pursuit.
  • Common in expressions related to urgency and meeting deadlines in modern Chinese.
  • Reflects the cultural value of diligence and not missing opportunities.

FAQ