推迟

Using 推迟 is like playing a game of Tetris with your schedule. You usually put the thing you are moving right before the word. For example, 会议推迟了 means the meeting has been pushed back. You can also say 推迟一个小时 to specify that you are pushing it by exactly one hour. It is a verb, but it often acts like a flexible block in your sentence. You will see it a lot in professional emails and travel apps. If your flight is delayed, the screen at the airport will often flash this word. Just remember to use 了 afterwards if the decision has already been made. Otherwise, you might sound like you are still debating whether to be late or not. Don't be that person who keeps everyone guessing.

Imagine you are a travel vlogger in Shanghai and it starts pouring rain. You can't film your outdoor transition, so you tell your followers: 因为下雨，拍摄推迟到明天. This sounds professional and keeps your fans in the loop. Or maybe you are on a Tinder date and you realize you're still stuck in traffic. You might text: 不好意思，我们可以推迟半小时吗? It sounds much more polite than just saying 'I am late.' In the world of online shopping, if a seller can't ship your package on time, they might send a notification saying the delivery is 推迟 due to high demand. It is the language of the modern, busy world. Even your favorite Netflix series might have its release 推迟 because the editing isn't finished yet. It happens to the best of us!

This phrase is your best friend in any 'official' or 'semi-official' capacity. Use it for meetings, exams, weddings, and doctor appointments. It is also great for social plans that have a specific start time. If you are organized and want to show you respect people's time, this is your go-to word. It works perfectly on Slack or Microsoft Teams when you need to tell your boss you need more time on a report. It also fits well in news reports or weather warnings. If a space launch is delayed due to wind, they will definitely use 推迟. It is a 'safe' word that bridges the gap between casual life and formal business. It says, 'I am in control of my time, even when things go wrong.'

Don't use 推迟 for things that don't have a fixed schedule. You wouldn't 'postpone' eating a snack if you're just not hungry yet; you'd just eat it later. It is also not the word for things you are doing slowly right now. If you are walking slowly, you are 慢, not 推迟. Also, be careful not to use it when you actually mean to cancel. If you say you are 'postponing' a breakup, your partner might get the wrong idea! It implies a definite 'later,' so if there is no 'later,' don't use it. Avoid using it for natural processes too. The sun doesn't 推迟 its setting just because you want more daylight. Nature doesn't take requests, unfortunately.

(You can't 'postpone a person,' only the event you have with them. Your friend is not a calendar invite!)

(While technically understandable, for transport being late, 晚点 is the much more natural term. Use 推迟 if the scheduled departure time was officially changed beforehand.)

(If you mean you don't procrastinate, use 拖延. 推迟 is about the event, while 拖延 is about your habit of being slow.)

Don't mix these up, or you might sound like you are trying to reschedule your personality. That would be a very confusing job interview!

If you want to sound a bit more formal, you can use 延期. This is very common in legal documents or official government announcements. It literally means 'extending the period.' If you are just talking about a flight or a train being late in the moment, use 延误. This has a slightly more negative 'delayed' vibe, like something went wrong. For very casual situations with friends, you might just say 晚一点. It is the 'jeans and t-shirt' version of 推迟. Then there is 拖延, which we mentioned before. Use that when you are being a lazy human and putting off your homework. 推迟 is the professional cousin who actually gets things done eventually.

You will often see 推迟 paired with time durations. 推迟三周 (postpone by three weeks) or 推迟到周五 (postpone until Friday). Another common one is 无限期推迟, which means 'postponed indefinitely.' This is the corporate way of saying 'this is probably never happening, but we don't want to say that yet.' You might also hear 不得不推迟, which means 'have no choice but to postpone.' This is great for when you want to shift the blame to circumstances outside your control. 'The dog ate my laptop, so I 不得不推迟 the presentation.' It works every time. Well, maybe once.

Is 推迟 only for formal things? Not really, but it sounds more organized than casual talk. Can I use it for a flight delay? Yes, but 延误 is more common for unexpected airport chaos. Is it the same as 'cancel'? Absolutely not! If you 推迟, you are promising to show up later. What's the difference between 推迟 and 延迟? 延迟 is often used for technical delays, like lag in a video game. 推迟 is more for human-scheduled events. Can I postpone my taxes? You can try, but the government usually prefers the term 延期. Good luck with that!