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A1 verb 9 min read

赶晚

ganwan

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 赶晚 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 赶晚 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '赶晚' (gǎnwǎn) is introduced as a simple way to talk about catching late transport or doing things in the evening. Students learn that '赶' (gǎn) means 'to catch' or 'to rush' and '晚' (wǎn) means 'late' or 'evening.' The most important phrase at this level is '赶晚车' (catch the late bus/train). A1 learners should focus on the physical act of rushing to make it to a late-night service. It is often taught alongside its opposite, '赶早' (gǎnzǎo), to show how Chinese uses simple character combinations to describe daily routines. The concept is straightforward: you are moving fast to interact with something that happens late in the day. Understanding this word helps beginners navigate travel schedules and basic daily planning in a Chinese-speaking environment. It's a 'survival' word for those who might miss their early transportation.

For A2 learners, '赶晚' expands into social and work contexts. You might use it to describe catching a late-night movie ('赶晚场') or a late dinner ('赶晚饭'). At this stage, students start to see the word as part of a broader set of '赶' verbs, such as '赶时间' (be in a hurry) and '赶集' (go to market). The emphasis shifts from just 'catching a bus' to 'choosing a late time for a specific reason,' such as avoiding crowds or finishing work first. A2 learners should be able to form simple sentences explaining *why* they are '赶晚,' using connectors like '因为...所以...' (Because... so...). They also begin to encounter the cultural proverb '宁赶早，不赶晚,' which teaches them about Chinese values regarding punctuality and the stress of leaving things to the last minute.

At the B1 level, '赶晚' is used more flexibly and metaphorically. Students learn that '赶晚集' (catching the late market) can mean starting a trend or a career later than others. This metaphorical use is common in storytelling and news reports. B1 learners also explore the nuance between '赶晚' (proactively rushing for a late event) and '迟到' (unintentionally being late). They study how '赶' can imply a sense of pressure or diligence. For example, '赶晚工' (rushing late work) describes the dedication of workers or students finishing projects. At this level, learners are expected to use '赶晚' in more complex grammatical structures, such as using it as a complement or within conditional sentences ('要是...就得赶晚...'). They also start to recognize the word in regional dialects or slightly more formal written Chinese.

B2 learners analyze '赶晚' within the context of economic and social trends in China. For instance, the 'Night Economy' (夜间经济) in major cities like Shanghai or Beijing involves many people '赶晚' for shopping and entertainment. B2 students might discuss the pros and cons of this lifestyle. They also look at the linguistics of the character '赶' and how it combines with other time-related words. The word '赶晚' is examined for its register—it is mostly neutral but can carry a slightly critical tone if someone is always '赶晚' due to poor planning. Learners at this stage should be able to debate the merits of '赶早' vs. '赶晚' in modern society, using '赶晚' to describe people who take advantage of late-night discounts or the quiet of the city at night.

At the C1 level, '赶晚' is understood through its historical and literary evolution. Learners study classical texts or older 20th-century literature where '赶晚' might describe the struggles of rural life—rushing to finish harvests before dark or traveling between villages. They analyze the word's role in creating atmosphere in a narrative. C1 students also explore the subtle psychological implications of '赶'—the feeling of being 'driven' by time. They can use '赶晚' to describe complex emotional states, such as the anxiety of a protagonist who is always 'rushing the late' in their life's ambitions. The level of precision in usage increases, with students choosing '赶晚' over other synonyms to specifically highlight the 'rushing' aspect of a late-night activity.

For C2 learners, '赶晚' is a tool for nuanced expression in high-level discourse. They might use it in academic papers on sociology to describe the behavior of 'late adopters' in technology or markets. C2 learners understand the deep cultural roots of '赶' (pursuit) in the Chinese psyche—from the agricultural 'rush' to the modern '996' work culture. They can use '赶晚' in sophisticated wordplay or in formal speeches to describe a strategic delay. At this level, the learner is perfectly comfortable with all idiomatic variations and can explain the etymological shift of '晚' from a simple time marker to a complex social concept. They can also compare '赶晚' with similar concepts in other languages, noting the unique 'action-oriented' nature of the Chinese expression.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

赶晚 in 30 Seconds

赶晚 means to rush for something late, like a bus or a shift.
It is often used in the proverb 'Better early than late'.
It implies an active effort (赶) during the late period (晚).
It is distinct from simply being late (迟到).

The Chinese verb 赶晚 (gǎnwǎn) is a fascinating compound that literally translates to 'rushing the late.' In the landscape of Mandarin Chinese, the character 赶 (gǎn) signifies to catch, to hurry, or to drive, while 晚 (wǎn) denotes lateness, evening, or the end of a period. When combined, 赶晚 refers to the act of intentionally or unintentionally performing a task or catching a transport during the later stages of a schedule. This word is most frequently encountered in the context of travel, work shifts, and traditional market culture.

Literal Meaning: To hurry towards the late period; to make use of the late time.
Common Context: Used when choosing the last bus, the final train, or attending a market just before it closes.

In modern urban life, you might hear this when someone discusses their commute. For instance, if a worker prefers the quiet of a late-night bus over the rush-hour chaos, they might say they are going to 赶晚班车.

为了避开人流，他总是喜欢赶晚。 (To avoid the crowds, he always likes to rush the late [shift/transport].)

Historically, 赶晚 was used in rural settings for the 'late market' (晚集). Farmers would finish their field work and then 'rush the late market' to sell their remaining goods or buy supplies at a discount. This provides a sense of urgency combined with the specific timing of the evening. In the digital age, this has evolved to describe people who wait for the final hours of a sale or the last possible moment to submit a project. Understanding 赶晚 requires recognizing that '赶' implies a proactive effort; you aren't just 'late' (晚了), you are actively 'rushing the late' period. This nuance is crucial for A1 learners who might confuse simple lateness with the action of managing one's time towards the end of a window.

别总是赶晚，早点出发吧！ (Don't always rush the late [moment], leave a bit earlier!)

Cultural Nuance: In Chinese culture, '赶' suggests a life of movement and striving. To '赶晚' can sometimes imply a lack of planning, but it can also imply a strategic use of the end-of-day period.

他今天赶晚工，要很晚才回家。 (He is rushing the late shift today and will come home very late.)

我们得赶晚上的火车。 (We have to catch the late night train.)

Grammar Note: '赶晚' can function as a standalone verb in specific idioms, but usually takes an object like '车' (car/bus) or '班' (shift).

Using 赶晚 correctly in a sentence involves understanding its role as a verb that describes an action relative to time. At its most basic level, it combines the verb '赶' (to rush/catch) with the time-noun '晚' (late/evening). This creates a phrase that means 'to catch the late [something]' or 'to do something late.'

Structure 1: 赶晚 + Noun: This is the most common usage. Example: 赶晚车 (Gǎn wǎnchē) - to catch the late bus/train.
Structure 2: 宁赶早，不赶晚: A fixed idiomatic expression meaning 'rather be early than late.'

For an A1 learner, the focus should be on practical scenarios. Imagine you are at a train station. You missed the 5 PM train, so you must 'rush' for the 10 PM one. You would say, '我只能赶晚班火车了' (Wǒ zhǐnéng gǎn wǎnbān huǒchē le). Here, 赶晚 shows the necessity of adapting to a later schedule.

去飞机场要赶早，不能赶晚。 (Going to the airport requires being early; you shouldn't rush the late [time].)

In more complex sentences, 赶晚 can describe a lifestyle choice. '他喜欢赶晚场看电影' (He likes to catch the late-night movie screenings). This usage highlights the 'rush' or 'effort' to attend something at a late hour.

如果你想买便宜的菜，可以去赶晚市。 (If you want to buy cheap vegetables, you can go rush the late market.)

Verb-Object Relationship: The verb '赶' acts on the time-state '晚'. It implies that the person is in a state of 'catching up' with the time.

因为加班，他只能赶晚饭了。 (Because of overtime, he can only rush a late dinner.)

这趟车太挤了，我们赶晚一点的吧。 (This bus is too crowded; let's catch a later one.)

Comparative Usage: Compared to '晚到' (arrive late), '赶晚' emphasizes the process of dealing with the lateness.

You will encounter 赶晚 in several specific real-world environments. The most prominent is the transportation sector in China. During the 'Chunyun' (Spring Festival travel rush), millions of people are trying to get home. You will hear announcements or travelers saying they need to 赶晚班火车 because the earlier ones are sold out. This creates a sense of shared urgency.

At the Train Station: '还有赶晚班车的乘客吗？' (Are there any passengers catching the late bus/train?)
In the Workplace: Managers might say, '今天我们要赶晚工' (Today we need to rush the late work/shift) to meet a deadline.

Another place is the traditional wet markets or 'night markets' (夜市). While '赶集' means to go to a periodic market, 赶晚集 specifically refers to going late. In many Chinese cities, there is a subculture of 'late-night' activities where people prefer to do things after the sun goes down to avoid the heat or the crowds.

老人家常说，做生意要赶早，买东西可以赶晚。 (Old people often say, to do business you should be early, but to buy things you can rush the late [market].)

In literature or television dramas, 赶晚 might be used metaphorically. A character who starts their career late in life might be described as 赶晚集 (catching the late market)—implying they are joining the 'game' late but with great effort.

他三十岁才学画画，真是赶晚集。 (He only started learning to paint at thirty; he's really catching the late market.)

Regional Usage: In Northern China, the term is slightly more common in daily speech related to chores and schedules compared to the South, where more specific time-related verbs might be used.

快递员还在赶晚送货。 (The delivery man is still rushing late deliveries.)

别担心，我们还能赶晚上的那一班。 (Don't worry, we can still catch the late one.)

Modern Slang: Sometimes used to describe 'night owls' who do their best work when everyone else is asleep.

One of the most frequent errors for English speakers learning Chinese is confusing 赶晚 with simply being late (迟到 - chídào). In English, 'late' is an adjective or adverb that describes a state. In Chinese, 赶晚 is an action.

Mistake 1: Using '赶晚' for missed appointments: Incorrect: 我赶晚了会议。 (I rushed the late meeting - sounds like you chose a late meeting). Correct: 我会议迟到了。 (I was late for the meeting.)
Mistake 2: Forgetting the 'Rush' Aspect: '赶' implies speed. If you are leisurely doing something late, '赶晚' is inappropriate. You would just say '晚一点做'.

Another mistake is the word order in the phrase '宁赶早，不赶晚'. Students often try to say '宁早赶' which is grammatically incorrect. The verb '赶' must precede the time state '早' or '晚'.

错误：他赶晚了上课。 (Wrong: He rushed late the class). 正确：他上课迟到了。 (Right: He was late for class.)

Learners also often confuse 赶晚 with 熬夜 (áoyè - to stay up late). While both involve the night, 熬夜 is the act of not sleeping, whereas 赶晚 is the act of rushing to finish or catch something late.

别为了赶晚工而熬夜太久。 (Don't stay up too late just to rush the late shift work.)

Transitive vs. Intransitive: '赶晚' usually needs a context or a following noun to be clear. Just saying '他在赶晚' is vague; '他在赶晚班' is clear.

如果你想看日出，不能赶晚。 (If you want to see the sunrise, you can't rush the late [time].)

大家都在努力，你可别赶晚了。 (Everyone is working hard; don't you be the one rushing late.)

Tone Warning: Ensure you get the third tone on 'gǎn' and the third tone on 'wǎn'. If you mispronounce 'gǎn' as 'gān', it sounds like 'dry late', which makes no sense.

To truly master 赶晚, you should understand its synonyms and antonyms. This helps you choose the right word for the right situation.

赶早 (Gǎnzǎo): The direct antonym. It means to do something early or to rush for the early version. Usage: '赶早不赶晚'.
迟到 (Chídào): To arrive late. This is a state of being behind schedule, whereas '赶晚' is the action of dealing with a late schedule.
延后 (Yánhòu): To postpone. This is more formal and used for schedules and meetings.

In the context of markets or events, you might use 落后 (luòhòu) to mean falling behind, but 赶晚 is more about the timing of the action itself. If you are talking about time management, 磨蹭 (móceng) means to dawdle or procrastinate, which often leads to someone having to 赶晚.

你再这么磨蹭，就只能去赶晚班车了。 (If you keep dawdling like this, you'll have to catch the late bus.)

For transport, 末班车 (mòbānchē - the last bus) is a very common noun that people '赶' (rush for). So '赶末班车' is a more specific and frequent alternative to 赶晚.

与其去赶晚集，不如明天早点去。 (Instead of rushing the late market, why not go early tomorrow?)

赶工 (Gǎngōng): To rush work. Often combined with '晚' to make '赶晚工'.

他总是喜欢赶晚，因为那时候人少。 (He always likes to rush the late [hours] because there are fewer people then.)

我们不要赶晚，安全第一。 (Let's not rush late; safety first.)

Final Comparison: '赶晚' is about the timing of the rush; '赶快' is just about the speed of the rush regardless of time.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The character '赶' was originally used for hunting and driving carriages. Today, it reflects the high-speed, 'rushing' nature of modern Chinese life, from 'rushing' for a seat on the subway to 'rushing' to finish a degree.

Pronunciation Guide

UK ɡǎn wǎn

US ɡɑn wɑn

Equal stress on both syllables, though the first syllable '赶' often carries a slightly stronger dynamic stress in speech.

Rhymes With

简 (jiǎn) 饭 (fàn) - slant rhyme 产 (chǎn) 懒 (lǎn) 满 (mǎn) 短 (duǎn) 软 (ruǎn) 暖 (nuǎn)

Common Errors

Pronouncing '赶' (gǎn) as 'gān' (dry).
Pronouncing '晚' (wǎn) as 'wàn' (fourth tone).
Failing to dip the voice for the third tones.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The characters are simple (A1), but the idiomatic use requires context.

Writing 3/5

Writing '赶' requires attention to the '走' radical.

Speaking 2/5

Third-third tone sandhi makes 'gǎnwǎn' sound like 'gánwǎn'.

Listening 2/5

Easily confused with '赶快' if not listening for the 'w' sound.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

走 (Walk) 日 (Sun/Day) 早 (Early) 晚 (Late) 车 (Car/Vehicle)

Learn Next

赶快 (Quickly) 赶紧 (Hurry up) 迟到 (Be late) 加班 (Overtime) 末班车 (Last bus)

Advanced

大器晚成 (Late bloomer) 披星戴月 (Work night and day) 争分夺秒 (Race against time)

Grammar to Know

Third Tone Sandhi

'赶' (gǎn) + '晚' (wǎn) becomes 'gán' (second tone) + 'wǎn' (third tone).

Verb-Object Construction

'赶' (Verb) + '晚车' (Object).

'宁...不...' Structure

宁赶早，不赶晚 (Rather early than late).

'为了' for Purpose

为了赶晚班，他跑得很快。

'只能' for Limited Options

我只能赶晚上的那一班了。

Examples by Level

我们要赶晚班车。

We need to catch the late bus.

Subj + 要 + 赶 + 晚班车. '赶' acts as the main verb 'to catch'.

他不赶早，他赶晚。

He doesn't rush early; he rushes late.

Simple contrast using '赶早' and '赶晚'.

赶晚上的火车很累。

Catching the late-night train is very tiring.

'赶晚上的火车' is a noun phrase acting as the subject.

别赶晚，早点来。

Don't rush late; come a bit earlier.

Imperative sentence with '别' (don't).

我去赶晚集。

I am going to the late market.

'赶晚集' is a classic verb-object structure.

他们在那儿赶晚工。

They are doing late-night work there.

'赶晚工' means to rush work during the late hours.

你可以赶晚一点的班次。

You can catch a slightly later shift/flight.

'晚一点' modifies the timing of the '赶' action.

大家都赶晚回家。

Everyone is rushing home late.

'赶晚' describes the collective action of the group.

因为作业多，他只能赶晚饭。

Because there is a lot of homework, he can only rush a late dinner.

'赶晚饭' implies eating quickly because it's already late.

为了省钱，我们决定赶晚场电影。

To save money, we decided to catch the late-night movie.

'赶晚场' refers to late-night entertainment shows.

这个商场赶晚会有打折。

This mall has discounts if you rush the late [hours].

'赶晚' here implies visiting during the late-night sale period.

宁赶早，不赶晚，我们现在走吧。

Better early than late; let's go now.

Use of the proverb as a justification for action.

赶晚班的人都很辛苦。

People who rush the late shift are all very hardworking.

'赶晚班' is a common term for working the night shift.

他赶晚车去上海看朋友。

He caught the late train to Shanghai to see a friend.

'赶晚车' is a specific travel action.

别总是赶晚，这样压力很大。

Don't always rush the late [moment]; it's very stressful.

'赶晚' used to describe a habit of procrastination.

如果你赶晚一点，人会少一些。

If you rush a bit later, there will be fewer people.

Conditional '如果...就...' structure (implied).

他虽然三十岁才学电脑，也算是赶晚集。

Although he only learned computers at thirty, it's still considered catching the late market.

Metaphorical use of '赶晚集' to mean starting late.

我们要赶晚工，把这个项目做完。

We need to rush the late shift to finish this project.

'赶晚工' emphasizes the effort to finish a task.

由于天气原因，他只能赶晚班飞机。

Due to weather reasons, he could only catch the late flight.

'赶晚班飞机' is a standard travel phrase.

他不喜欢赶早，反而喜欢赶晚。

He doesn't like rushing early; instead, he likes rushing late.

Contrast between '赶早' and '赶晚' as lifestyle choices.

这个习惯让他经常需要赶晚上的进度。

This habit often makes him need to rush the late-night progress.

'赶...进度' combined with '晚' (late/night).

赶晚集的人往往能买到便宜货。

People who rush the late market often can buy cheap goods.

'赶晚集' as a subject phrase.

他为了赶晚上的演出，没吃晚饭。

To catch the evening performance, he didn't eat dinner.

'赶晚上的演出' shows the goal of the '赶' action.

我们得赶晚一点，错开高峰期。

We have to rush a bit later to avoid the peak period.

'错开' (to avoid/stagger) used with '赶晚'.

在夜间经济中，很多人都在赶晚消费。

In the night economy, many people are rushing late-night consumption.

'赶晚' used in an economic context.

宁赶早，不赶晚，这是他一贯的原则。

Better early than late; this is his consistent principle.

'一贯的原则' (consistent principle) modifying the proverb.

他赶晚集进入股市，结果亏了不少。

He entered the stock market late (caught the late market) and ended up losing a lot.

Metaphorical '赶晚集' in a financial context.

为了赶晚班，他每天都要喝很多咖啡。

To rush the late shift, he has to drink a lot of coffee every day.

'为了' (in order to) phrase.

与其赶晚补救，不如事先做好计划。

Instead of rushing late to remedy things, it's better to plan ahead.

'与其...不如...' (rather than... better to...) structure.

他赶晚上的末班车，差点没赶上。

He rushed for the last bus of the night and almost missed it.

'差点没' (almost didn't) indicating a near miss.

这里的夜生活很丰富，大家都在赶晚场。

The nightlife here is rich; everyone is catching the late shows.

'赶晚场' describing cultural behavior.

这种赶晚的工作节奏让他感到精疲力竭。

This late-rushing work rhythm makes him feel exhausted.

'赶晚' acting as an adjective modifying '工作节奏'.

他这辈子总是在赶晚集，无论事业还是爱情。

He has been 'catching the late market' his whole life, whether in career or love.

Deeply metaphorical use of '赶晚集'.

在古代，赶晚路是一件非常危险的事情。

In ancient times, rushing a late journey was a very dangerous thing.

'赶晚路' (rushing a late journey) as a historical concept.

他不愿意赶晚，因为他觉得深夜的寂静让人不安。

He is unwilling to rush late because he feels the silence of the night is unsettling.

Expressing psychological reasons for avoiding '赶晚'.

这种“赶晚”的策略在某些市场竞争中是有利的。

This 'late-rushing' strategy can be advantageous in certain market competitions.

'赶晚' used as a strategic term.

他晚年才开始创作，虽是赶晚集，却大器晚成。

He only started creating in his later years; though it was 'catching the late market,' he was a late bloomer.

Contrast between '赶晚集' and '大器晚成' (late bloomer).

为了赶晚上的截稿日期，他已经熬了两个通宵。

To meet the late-night deadline, he has already stayed up for two whole nights.

'赶...截稿日期' (rush the deadline) combined with '晚' (late).

赶晚的人往往能看到城市不为人知的一面。

People who rush late often see a side of the city that is unknown to others.

Philosophical observation using '赶晚的人'.

他并不急于求成，而是选择赶晚以求稳。

He is not in a hurry for success but chooses to 'rush late' for the sake of stability.

'以求' (in order to seek) expressing purpose.

这种赶晚的社会心态折射出当代人对时间的焦虑。

This social mentality of 'rushing the late' reflects contemporary people's anxiety about time.

Abstract sociological analysis using '赶晚'.

他笔下的角色总是在赶晚，试图在生命的黄昏找回失去的东西。

The characters in his writing are always 'rushing the late,' attempting to reclaim what was lost in the twilight of their lives.

Literary criticism context.

在宏观经济调控中，赶晚的政策往往难以达到预期效果。

In macroeconomic regulation, policies that 'rush the late' (are implemented late) often struggle to achieve expected results.

Formal economic discourse.

他以一种赶晚的姿态，优雅地介入了这场原本属于年轻人的博弈。

With a gesture of 'rushing the late,' he elegantly intervened in this gamble that originally belonged to the youth.

Nuanced character description.

宁赶早，不赶晚的古训在现代物流体系中得到了新的诠释。

The ancient teaching of 'rather early than late' has received a new interpretation in the modern logistics system.

Analyzing a proverb in a modern context.

他并非真的迟钝，而是在审时度势，等待那个赶晚的最佳契机。

He is not truly slow, but is assessing the situation, waiting for that best opportunity to 'rush the late.'

Describing strategic patience.

这种赶晚的文化现象，在很大程度上受制于城市的运行机制。

This cultural phenomenon of 'rushing late' is largely constrained by the city's operating mechanisms.

Sociological '受制于' (constrained by) structure.

他的一生都在赶晚，却在每一次的‘晚’中发现了新的可能。

His whole life he was 'rushing the late,' yet in every 'late' moment, he discovered new possibilities.

Paradoxical and poetic usage.

Common Collocations

赶晚班

赶晚工

赶晚集

赶晚场

赶晚车

宁赶早，不赶晚

赶晚饭

赶晚市

赶晚路

赶晚班飞机

Common Phrases

赶晚不赶早

— Choosing to do something late rather than early.

他这人就爱赶晚不赶早。

赶晚班车

— To catch the last or a late bus.

没关系，我们还能赶晚班车。

赶晚集的人

— Someone who starts something late.

他是那个行业的赶晚集的人。

赶晚工期

— Rushing to meet a deadline late at night.

为了赶晚工期，大家都很辛苦。

赶晚点

— To be slightly late but still rushing to make it.

火车晚点了，我们得赶晚点。

赶晚市儿

— Going to the late market (Northern dialect).

咱们去赶晚市儿吧。

赶晚趟

— To take the late trip/round.

我坐赶晚趟的那班。

赶晚饭点

— To rush to make it for dinner time.

他总算赶上了晚饭点。

赶晚场戏

— To catch a late opera or play.

老人们爱赶晚场戏。

赶晚课

— To rush to a late-night class.

他晚上还要赶晚课。

Often Confused With

赶晚 vs 迟到 (Chídào)

'迟到' is being late; '赶晚' is rushing for a late-scheduled thing.

赶晚 vs 熬夜 (Áoyè)

'熬夜' is staying up late; '赶晚' is the action of rushing during that time.

赶晚 vs 晚点 (Wǎndiǎn)

'晚点' is a schedule delay (e.g., train delayed); '赶晚' is your action.

Idioms & Expressions

"宁赶早，不赶晚"

— Better to be ahead of time than to rush at the last minute.

出门旅行，宁赶早，不赶晚。

Proverb

"赶晚集"

— To start something late or join a trend after its peak.

他现在才开网店，真是赶晚集。

Metaphorical

"披星戴月"

— To work or travel from dawn to late at night.

他披星戴月地赶晚路。

Literary

"日以继夜"

— Day and night; rushing work late.

他日以继夜地赶晚工。

Formal

"争分夺秒"

— Racing against time, often when it's late.

他在争分夺秒地赶晚班车。

Idiomatic

"事不过三"

— Not directly '赶晚', but often used when someone is late repeatedly.

你已经三次赶晚了，事不过三。

Common

"大器晚成"

— A late bloomer (related to the 'late' theme).

他虽是赶晚集，但终究大器晚成。

Formal

"亡羊补牢"

— To mend the fold after the sheep are gone (rushing to fix late).

虽然赶晚了，但亡羊补牢还不晚。

Idiomatic

"后来居上"

— The latecomers surpass the early ones.

他赶晚集进入市场，却后来居上。

Idiomatic

"只争朝夕"

— To seize every minute, the opposite of '赶晚'.

我们要只争朝夕，不能总是赶晚。

Formal

Easily Confused

赶晚 vs 赶快

Both start with '赶'.

'赶快' means 'hurry up' (speed); '赶晚' means 'rush the late' (timing).

你赶快去赶晚班车！ (Hurry up and catch the late bus!)

赶晚 vs 赶集

Both involve '赶'.

'赶集' is going to a market; '赶晚' is the specific timing of the rush.

他去赶集，但是赶的是晚集。 (He went to the market, but he rushed the late one.)

赶晚 vs 晚会

Both have '晚'.

'晚会' is an evening party (noun); '赶晚' is a verb phrase.

我们要赶晚会。 (We need to rush to the party.)

赶晚 vs 赶工

Both involve rushing work.

'赶工' is just rushing work; '赶晚工' is rushing work specifically at night.

他在赶晚工。 (He is rushing the late-night work.)

赶晚 vs 早起

Antonym concept.

'早起' is waking up early; '赶早' is rushing to do something early.

他早起是为了赶早班车。 (He woke up early to catch the early bus.)

Sentence Patterns

我要赶[Noun].

我要赶晚车。

别赶[Time].

别赶晚。

因为[Reason]，所以赶[Noun].

因为加班，所以赶晚班。

宁赶早，不赶晚。

出门要宁赶早，不赶晚。

[Subject]算是赶晚集。

他现在才学英语，也算是赶晚集。

为了[Purpose]，只能赶[Noun].

为了省钱，只能赶晚场。

与其赶晚[Action]，不如[Action].

与其赶晚补救，不如早点计划。

[Subject]一辈子都在赶晚集。

他这一辈子都在赶晚集。

Word Family

Nouns

晚班 (Night shift)

晚车 (Late train)

晚集 (Late market)

Verbs

赶 (To rush)

赶工 (To rush work)

赶集 (To go to market)

Adjectives

晚 (Late)

匆忙 (Hurried)

早 (Early)

迟 (Late/Slow)

快 (Fast)

慢 (Slow)

急 (Urgent)

How to Use It

frequency

Moderate (High in specific travel/work contexts)

Common Mistakes

我赶晚了。 → 我迟到了。
'赶晚' is an action of rushing a late schedule, not a state of being late for a specific time point.
他晚赶车。 → 他赶晚车。
The verb '赶' must come before the time/object '晚车'.
宁早赶，不晚赶。 → 宁赶早，不赶晚。
The proverb has a fixed structure that cannot be rearranged.
我赶晚集去买早饭。 → 我赶早集去买早饭。
'晚集' is an evening market; you can't buy breakfast there.
他在赶晚觉。 → 他在补觉。
'赶晚' doesn't apply to sleeping. Use '补觉' (catch up on sleep).

Tips

Transport Focus

Use '赶晚' primarily when discussing the last bus or train of the night. It's the most natural context for A1 learners.

Memorize the Saying

Learn '宁赶早，不赶晚' as a single unit. It's a very common 'Chengyu-like' expression that shows high proficiency.

Object Placement

Always put the specific thing you are rushing after '晚'. Example: 赶晚班, 赶晚车, 赶晚集.

Market Logic

Remember '赶晚集' for shopping. In China, late markets often have the best deals on perishables!

Tone Sandhi

Don't forget the 3-3 tone rule. 'Gǎn' becomes 'Gán'. Practice saying it as one word.

Stroke Order

The radical '走' in '赶' is tricky. Make sure the long horizontal stroke at the bottom supports the '干' part.

Vs. Chidao

Never say 'I 赶晚 the meeting.' Say 'I 迟到 the meeting.' '赶晚' is for schedules, not appointments.

Office Context

Use '赶晚工' to impress colleagues when you are staying late to finish a project.

Airport Tip

At the airport, '赶早' is always better. You might '赶晚班飞机' only if your first flight was cancelled.

Context Clues

If you hear '赶' and then a time, the person is talking about their schedule and how they are managing it.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a person 'G-unning' (Gǎn) for the 'W-anning' (Wǎn) sun. They are rushing because the sun is going down!

Visual Association

Picture a person running with a suitcase towards a train station at night, with a giant moon in the background.

Word Web

赶 (Rush) 晚 (Late) 赶早 (Rush early) 晚班 (Night shift) 末班车 (Last bus) 赶集 (Market) 赶时间 (Hurry) 迟到 (Late)

Challenge

Try to use '赶晚' in a sentence about your commute today. Did you '赶晚班车'?

Word Origin

'赶' (gǎn) originates from the radical '走' (walk) and the phonetic '干'. It originally meant to catch up with or drive animals. '晚' (wǎn) consists of '日' (sun) and '免' (exempt/remove), representing the time when the sun is gone.

Original meaning: To catch up with the evening/late period.

Sino-Tibetan (Mandarin Chinese)

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, but avoid using '赶晚' to mock someone's lack of punctuality in a professional setting; use '迟到' if you mean they were actually late.

English speakers often say 'catch the late one' or 'cut it close.' '赶晚' captures both these ideas in two characters.

'宁赶早，不赶晚' is a staple piece of advice from Chinese parents. The movie 'The Last Train Home' (归途列车) depicts the intense '赶' culture.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Commuting

赶晚班车 (Catch late bus)
赶晚班地铁 (Catch late subway)
赶晚班飞机 (Catch late flight)
赶晚趟 (Catch the late trip)

Shopping

赶晚集 (Go to late market)
赶晚市 (Go to late market)
赶打折 (Rush for discounts)
赶晚场 (Catch late show)

Working

赶晚工 (Do late work)
赶进度 (Rush progress)
赶班次 (Rush shift)
赶任务 (Rush task)

Daily Advice

宁赶早，不赶晚 (Better early than late)
别赶晚 (Don't rush late)
赶晚了 (Rushed late)
早点赶 (Rush earlier)

Social Life

赶晚饭 (Rush late dinner)
赶晚会 (Rush to evening party)
赶晚场电影 (Catch late movie)
赶场子 (Rush between venues)

Conversation Starters

"你经常需要赶晚班车回家吗？ (Do you often need to catch the late bus home?)"

"你觉得‘宁赶早，不赶晚’这句话有道理吗？ (Do you think the saying 'Better early than late' makes sense?)"

"你喜欢赶晚集买东西吗？ (Do you like going to the late market to shop?)"

"如果你错过了这班车，你会赶晚班吗？ (If you miss this bus, will you catch the late one?)"

"赶晚工的时候，你通常怎么提神？ (How do you usually stay refreshed when rushing late work?)"

Journal Prompts

描述一次你不得不赶晚班车的经历。 (Describe a time you had to catch the late bus.)

你认为现代人为什么总是需要赶晚工？ (Why do you think modern people always need to rush late work?)

写一写你对‘赶晚集’这个比喻的理解。 (Write about your understanding of the 'catching the late market' metaphor.)

对比‘赶早’和‘赶晚’两种生活方式。 (Compare 'rushing early' and 'rushing late' lifestyles.)

如果你能改变一个总是在赶晚的习惯，那会是什么？ (If you could change a habit of always rushing late, what would it be?)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It is a verb-object phrase that functions like a compound verb. '赶' means to rush, and '晚' means late/evening. Together they mean 'to rush the late [thing].'

Usually no. For meetings, use '迟到' (late) or '赶上' (to make it on time). '赶晚' is more for transport, shifts, or markets.

It means to start something (like a business or a hobby) late, after most other people have already started or the peak has passed.

It is neutral. However, advising someone '宁赶早，不赶晚' is seen as helpful and wise.

You say '我赶上了晚班车' (Wǒ gǎnshàngle wǎnbānchē).

'赶时间' means you are in a hurry because you don't have much time. '赶晚' means you are specifically aiming for the late version of something.

Yes, '赶晚饭' means to rush to eat dinner because it is already late.

It is understood everywhere, but '赶' is a very strong feature of Northern dialects and standard Mandarin.

Not always, but transport is the most common context. It can also apply to work shifts or markets.

The first character '赶' changes to a second tone (rising), so it sounds like 'gán wǎn'.