Chinese word

早点

Pronunciation

Pinyinzǎo diǎn

Meaning

  • adverbearly

Example

你应该早点睡觉。nǐ yīng gāi záo diǎn shuì jiào

You should go to bed early.

Illustration for 早点 (early)

More examples

为了赶上会议，她早点出门了。wèi le gǎn shàng huì yì tā záo diǎn chū mén le

To make it to the meeting on time, she left home early.

Core concept

Moves an action to an earlier time; as a separate noun, it can also name the morning meal.

Common phrases

  • 早点出门záo diǎn chū mén

    go out early

  • 早点上班záo diǎn shàng bān

    go to work early

  • 早点吃饭záo diǎn chī fàn

    eat early

Similar words

早一点zǎo yì diǎn: Places an action a small amount earlier in casual conversation.
提前tí qián: Arranges for a planned event or its starting time to happen earlier.
提早tí zǎo: Makes an action or its timing earlier than originally intended.
早些zǎo xiē: Places an action slightly earlier than the expected time.

Definition in Chinese

作为副词使用时位于动词前，表示把动作提前一些完成，常见搭配为“早点+动词”，用于提醒或催促，语气可以由委婉到强烈不等。zuò wéi fù cí shǐ yòng shí wèi yú dòng cí qián biǎo shì bǎ dòng zuò tí qián yì xiē wán chéng cháng jiàn dā pèi wèi záo diǎn dòng cí yòng yú tí xǐng huò cuī cù yǔ qì ké yǐ yóu wéi wǎn dào qiáng liè bù děng

Word origin

The adverb 早点 (zǎodiǎn, "a little earlier") shortens 早一点 (zǎo yìdiǎn, "a little earlier"); a separate noun with the same form means breakfast.

Usage tips

  • Chinese places 早点 (zǎodiǎn, "a little earlier") before the verb, unlike the usual English position of earlier after the verb, as in 早点出发 (zǎodiǎn chūfā, "leave earlier").

Other meanings

  • breakfastnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 早点儿záo diǎnrbreakfastnoun
  • 早点店záo diǎn diànbreakfast shopnoun

Word lists with this word