verb HSK 3
Traditional 趕
to rush · to hurry · to catch up · to drive (animals) · to drive away
Meaning
赶 is a versatile verb expressing the idea of pursuing, rushing toward, or driving something forward. It commonly describes hurrying to catch transportation, rushing to meet a deadline, or physically herding animals. The core meaning involves motion with urgency or purpose.
Usage
赶 appears frequently in everyday speech when discussing time pressure or movement. Common patterns include 赶时间 (to rush for time), 赶车 (to catch a vehicle), and 赶上 (to catch up with). It's neutral in register and used in both spoken and written contexts.
Examples
- 01我们得赶快走，要不然就赶不上火车了。, .We need to hurry, otherwise we won't catch the train.
- 02他每天早上都在赶时间去上班。.Every morning he's rushing to get to work on time.
Common collocations
- 赶时间to be pressed for time
- 赶快quickly, hurry up
- 赶上to catch up with, to be in time for
- 赶不及too late to catch, unable to make it in time
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 趕 combines the 'foot/movement' radical 走 with 旱 (drought/dry), originally suggesting swift movement across dry land, which evolved to mean rushing or driving forward.