Chinese Word
Archive
← Today's word Archive
noun HSK 4
sù dù
speed · velocity · pace

Meaning

速度 refers to how fast something moves or happens. It's used in both literal contexts (like the speed of a car) and figurative ones (like the pace of work or progress).

Usage

This is a common, neutral term used in everyday conversation, technical contexts, and formal writing. It often appears with verbs like 提高 (to increase), 降低 (to decrease), or 加快 (to speed up). Native speakers use it to describe both physical motion and abstract rates of change.

Examples

  1. 01
    这辆车的速度可以达到每小时两百公里。
    Zhè liàng chē de sù dù kě yǐ dá dào měi xiǎo shí liǎng bǎi gōng lǐ.
    This car's speed can reach 200 kilometers per hour.
  2. 02
    我们需要加快工作速度才能按时完成项目。
    Wǒ men xū yào jiā kuài gōng zuò sù dù cái néng àn shí wán chéng xiàng mù.
    We need to speed up our work pace in order to finish the project on time.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 提高速度
    tí gāo sù dù
    to increase speed
  • 加快速度
    jiā kuài sù dù
    to speed up
  • 降低速度
    jiàng dī sù dù
    to reduce speed
  • 速度很快
    sù dù hěn kuài
    the speed is very fast

Antonyms

Origin

速 means 'fast' and 度 means 'degree' or 'measure', so together they literally mean 'degree of fastness', which evolved into the modern meaning of speed or velocity.

Related