Chinese word

赶上

Pronunciation

Pinyingǎn shàng

Meaning

  • verbcatch

Example

我们还能赶上最后一班车吗？wǒ men hái néng gǎn shàng zuì hòu yì bān chē ma

Can we still catch the last train?

Illustration for 赶上 (catch)

More examples

企业必须不断创新，才能赶上新技术的发展。qǐ yè bì xū bú duàn chuàng xīn cái néng gǎn shàng xīn jì shù de fā zhǎn

Only by constantly innovating can companies keep up with the development of new technology.

Core concept

Closing the gap to something or someone in time, whether by catching up, making it, or meeting it along the way.

Common phrases

  • 赶上新技术gǎn shàng xīn jì shù

    keep up with new technology

  • 赶上生活节奏gǎn shàng shēng huó jié zòu

    keep up with the pace of life

Similar words

来得及lái de jí: Still have enough time to finish something or get somewhere on time.
赶得上gǎn de shàng: Catch up with something by moving quickly enough to reach it in time.

Definition in Chinese

在需要的时间内到达或赶上某事物，不错过机会。zài xū yào de shí jiān nèi dào dá huò gǎn shàng mǒu shì wù bú cuò guò jī huì

Word origin

赶 (gǎn, "hurry after") + 上 (shàng, "reach or get onto") combines pursuit with arrival, giving the sense of reaching something in time.

Usage tips

  • English uses different verbs for catching a bus, making a deadline, and meeting a person, while this Chinese verb connects them through timely reach.

Other meanings

  • catch upverb
  • run intoverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word