Chinese word

快要

Pronunciation

Pinyinkuài yào

Meaning

  • adverbabout to

Example

快要下雨了。kuài yào xià yǔ le

It's about to rain.

Illustration for 快要 (about to)

More examples

快要开始了。kuài yào kāi shǐ le

It's about to start.

Core concept

Brings a future event into the short space just ahead of now.

Common phrases

  • 快要下雨kuài yào xià yǔ

    about to rain

  • 快要开始kuài yào kāi shǐ

    about to start

  • 快要结束kuài yào jié shù

    about to end

Similar words

就要jiù yào: Marks a coming event as due soon, with a firm sense that it will happen.
马上mǎ shàng: Marks an event as happening immediately or after almost no waiting.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示某事在短时间内即将发生，侧重于事件临近但不一定马上发生，多用于口语并可与时间副词或语气词搭配。yòng yú biǎo shì mǒu shì zài duǎn shí jiān nèi jí jiāng fā shēng cè zhòng yú shì jiàn lín jìn dàn bù yí dìng mǎ shàng fā shēng duō yòng yú kóu yǔ bìng kě yǔ shí jiān fù cí huò yǔ qì cí dā pèi

Word origin

快 (kuài, "quick") suggests a short wait, while 要 (yào, "be going to") points to what will happen; together they show that the event is near.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech, this word can appear with a time word or a small word at the end of the sentence, marking an event that is near rather than instant.

Other meanings

  • almostadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word