遲 (chí) - Late — refers to being slow, delayed, or & can also mean to delay or postpone something.

遲Tone 2

chí ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

遲 · chí

Late — refers to being slow, delayed, or tardy;

can also mean to delay or postpone something.

Late — refers to being slow, delayed, orcan also mean to delay or postpone something.

Usage highlights

Arrive lateSlowDelay paymentLate springSlow responsePostponed indefinitely

Synonyms

  • 晚— late (in time)
  • 慢— slow (in speed)
  • 缓— slow, gradual

Antonyms

  • 早— early
  • 快— fast, quick
  • 速— rapid, speedy

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The train arrived late (火车迟到了).
  • He is a slow learner (他学习迟钝).
  • Please don't be late (请不要迟到).
  • The meeting was postponed (会议被推迟了).

Collocations

  • Arrive late(迟到)
  • Slow-witted(迟钝)
  • Delay payment(迟延付款)
  • Late spring(迟春)
  • Slow response(迟缓反应)
  • Postponed indefinitely(迟无定期)

Idioms

  • Better late than never(迟做总比不做好)
  • Slow to act, quick to regret(迟迟不行，后悔莫及)
  • The latecomer surpasses the old-timer(后来居上)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, punctuality is highly valued, making 迟 often carry negative connotations.
  • The character appears in classical texts discussing the virtue of timeliness and the consequences of delay.
  • In some contexts, 迟 can imply careful deliberation rather than mere slowness.

FAQ