Chinese word

拖延

Pronunciation

Pinyintuō yán

Meaning

  • verbput off

Example

别再拖延了，马上去做吧。bié zài tuō yán le mǎ shàng qù zuò ba

Don't put it off anymore; go do it right away.

Illustration for 拖延 (put off)

More examples

如果一直拖延行动，计划就无法实现。rú guǒ yì zhí tuō yán xíng dòng jì huà jiù wú fǎ shí xiàn

If you keep putting off taking action, the plan cannot be realized.

Core concept

A planned step keeps being stretched forward instead of reaching the point of action.

Common phrases

  • 拖延学习tuō yán xué xí

    put off studying

  • 拖延准备tuō yán zhǔn bèi

    delay preparation

  • 拖延行动tuō yán xíng dòng

    put off taking action

Similar words

推迟tuī chí: Changing a scheduled time or deadline to a later one.
延迟yán chí: Causing an event or action to begin later than its planned time.
耽搁dān gē: Losing time to something else and therefore making work or action late.
拖拉tuō lā: Working or acting in a slow, dragging way that delays completion.

Definition in Chinese

把计划、行动或决定无正当理由地延后执行，含拖拉、不果断的意味。bǎ jì huà xíng dòng huò jué dìng wú zhèng dāng lǐ yóu dì yán hòu zhí xíng hán tuō lā bù guǒ duàn de yì wèi

Word origin

The word 拖延 (tuōyán, "delay by dragging out") joins 拖 (tuō, "drag") and 延 (yán, "extend"), linking physical dragging and lengthening with delayed action.

Usage tips

  • As a verb, it commonly takes the delayed task, decision, or action as its object, making it useful for discussing delayed work, replies, and choices.

Other meanings

  • procrastinationnoun
  • procrastinateverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 拖延症tuō yán zhèngprocrastinationnoun

Word lists with this word