HSK · Level 53
105 words
Chinese word
早已
Pronunciation
Pinyinzǎo yǐ
Meaning
- adverblong ago
Example
我早已做好准备了。wǒ záo yǐ zuò hǎo zhǔn bèi le
I made the preparations long ago.
More examples
他早已离开了。tā záo yǐ lí kāi le
He left long ago.
Core concept
A point far back on the timeline at which an action or condition has already become settled.
Similar words
已经yǐ jīng: Already happened or reached a completed state by the relevant time.
早就zǎo jiù: Already true or completed much earlier, with clear emphasis on that early timing.
Definition in Chinese
表示在现在之前很久就已经发生或完成了的动作或状态。biǎo shì zài xiàn zài zhī qián hěn jiǔ jiù yǐ jīng fā shēng huò wán chéng le de dòng zuò huò zhuàng tài
Word origin
The compound 早已 (zǎoyǐ, "long ago already") joins the idea of an early time in 早 (zǎo, "early") to the completed state expressed by 已 (yǐ, "already").
Usage tips
- English already can refer to something that happened only moments ago, but this Chinese word normally places the completed event noticeably earlier than the present.
Other meanings
- alreadyadverb