Chinese word

最早

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuì zǎo

Meaning

  • adverbearliest

Example

我最早九点到。wǒ zuì zǎo jiú diǎn dào

I arrive at nine at the earliest.

Illustration for 最早 (earliest)

More examples

你最早什么时候回来？nǐ zuì zǎo shén me shí hòu huí lái

What is the earliest you can come back?

Core concept

The front edge of a timeline, with no earlier point available for an event.

Common phrases

  • 最早什么时候zuì zǎo shén me shí hòu

    when at the earliest

  • 最早能到zuì zǎo néng dào

    be able to arrive at the earliest

  • 最早起床zuì zǎo qǐ chuáng

    get up at the earliest

Similar words

尽快jǐn kuài: As quickly as possible, stressing prompt action rather than a set time.
尽早jín zǎo: At the earliest practical time, stressing early completion or action.
早些zǎo xiē: Slightly earlier than the time already mentioned or understood.
早点záo diǎn: Slightly earlier or sooner than planned, expected, or usual.

Definition in Chinese

表示在某一时间点或动作发生上处于最前，没有比这更早的程度，作副词用。biǎo shì zài mǒu yì shí jiān diǎn huò dòng zuò fā shēng shàng chǔ yú zuì qián méi yǒu bǐ zhè gèng zǎo de chéng dù zuò fù cí yòng

Word origin

最 (zuì, "most") + 早 (zǎo, "early") forms a superlative time expression for the first possible point.

Usage tips

  • In everyday scheduling, 最早 (zuìzǎo, "earliest") often marks the earliest possible arrival or start, not a promise that it happens exactly then.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word