When you're learning Japanese, you'll often encounter words that have multiple meanings depending on the context. 「早く」 (hayaku) is a great example of this. It's an adverb that can mean both "early" and "fast."
You'll use 「早く」 to describe something happening sooner than expected or at a high speed. For instance, if you want to say "wake up early," you'd use 「早く起きてください。」 (Hayaku okite kudasai.). If you want to tell someone to "drive fast," you'd say 「早く運転してください。」 (Hayaku unten shite kudasai.).
The key to understanding which meaning to apply is the verb it modifies. If the verb implies a sense of timing or a deadline, "early" is likely the meaning. If the verb suggests movement or action, "fast" is probably what's intended. Pay attention to the surrounding words, and you'll quickly get the hang of it!
When used as an adverb, 早く (hayaku) means 'early' or 'fast.' It indicates that an action happens sooner than expected or at a high speed.
For example, if you want to say 'Let's go home early,' you would use 早く. Or, if you want to say 'Run fast,' you would also use 早く.
It's important to remember that 早く is specifically for adverbs. There's a separate adjective, 速い (hayai), for describing things that are 'fast,' like 'a fast car.'
Think of it this way: 早く tells you how an action is performed, either in terms of time or speed.
早く 30秒了解
- Use 早く to say 'early' for time.
- Use 早く to say 'fast' for speed.
- It's the adverb form of 早い (hayai).
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
The Japanese word 早く (hayaku) is a super common and useful adverb. You'll hear it all the time in everyday conversations. At its core, it means two main things: 'early' and 'fast.' But like many words, the exact nuance depends on the context.
When 早く means 'early,' it's about timing. Think about doing something sooner than expected, sooner than usual, or simply not late. For example, if you want to tell someone to wake up early, you'd use 早く. Or if you finish work earlier than planned, 早く describes that.
- Definition: Early
- To do something sooner than a specific time, sooner than expected, or to avoid being late.
When 早く means 'fast,' it's about speed or quickness. This applies to actions or processes. If you want someone to do something quickly, or if something is happening at a rapid pace, 早く is the word you'll use. For instance, if you're telling someone to run fast, or if a train is moving quickly, 早く fits.
- Definition: Fast
- To perform an action quickly; at a high speed or rapid pace.
It's important to remember that 早く is an adverb, which means it modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It tells you *how* an action is performed or *when* it happens. It doesn't describe nouns directly.
Let's look at some practical examples to make this clearer. You'll see how the same word can take on slightly different meanings depending on the sentence.
明日は早く起きます。
Here, 早く (hayaku) means 'early'. So, the sentence translates to: "Tomorrow, I will wake up early." It's about the timing of waking up.
もっと早く走ってください。
In this case, 早く means 'fast'. The sentence means: "Please run faster." It's about the speed of running.
One common phrase you'll hear is 早くしてください (hayaku shite kudasai). This literally means "Please do it quickly/early." Depending on the situation, it can be a polite way to ask someone to hurry up, or to complete a task sooner. For example, if you're waiting for food at a restaurant, you might think, "早く来てほしい" (I want it to come quickly).
Another important point: 早く is the adverbial form of the adjective 早い (hayai), which also means 'early' or 'fast'. The 'ku' ending is how you turn 'i-adjectives' into adverbs. This is a fundamental grammar point you'll encounter often in Japanese.
So, when you see or hear 早く, always consider the verb it's modifying. Is it about the timing of an action (early) or the speed of an action (fast)? With practice, you'll start to intuitively grasp the correct meaning. This word is a cornerstone of expressing temporal and speed-related concepts in Japanese, so mastering it will significantly boost your conversational ability.
We will explore more examples and common phrases using 早く in the next sections to solidify your understanding. Keep an eye out for how it interacts with different verbs and particles to convey precise meanings.
§ Understanding 早く (hayaku)
The Japanese word 早く (hayaku) is an adverb. This means it describes verbs (actions), adjectives (qualities), or other adverbs. It has two main meanings: 'early' and 'fast'. The specific meaning depends on the context of the sentence.
- Japanese Word
- 早く (hayaku)
- Part of Speech
- Adverb
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- early; fast
§ Using 早く (hayaku) for 'Early'
When 早く (hayaku) means 'early', it usually refers to a point in time. You'll often see it used with verbs related to starting, arriving, or doing something before the expected time.
私たちは早く駅に着いた。(Watashitachi wa hayaku eki ni tsuita.)
- 私たち (watashitachi): we
- 駅 (eki): station
- 着いた (tsuita): arrived (past tense of 着く 'tsuku')
- Hint: We arrived at the station early.
早く寝なさい。(Hayaku nenasai.)
- 寝なさい (nenasai): go to bed (imperative form of 寝る 'neru')
- Hint: Go to bed early. (Implies 'go to bed sooner than you are now' or 'go to bed at a reasonable hour').
§ Using 早く (hayaku) for 'Fast'
When 早く (hayaku) means 'fast', it describes the speed or quickness of an action. This is similar to English where 'quickly' is an adverb.
もっと早く走ってください。(Motto hayaku hashitte kudasai.)
- もっと (motto): more
- 走ってください (hashitte kudasai): please run (from 走る 'hashiru')
- Hint: Please run more fastly / Please run faster.
彼は早く泳ぐことができます。(Kare wa hayaku oyogu koto ga dekimasu.)
- 彼 (kare): he
- 泳ぐ (oyogu): to swim
- ことができます (koto ga dekimasu): can do
- Hint: He can swim fast.
§ Common Phrases with 早く (hayaku)
Here are a few common phrases where 早く (hayaku) is frequently used:
- 早く起きて (hayaku okite): Wake up early! / Wake up fast! (Depending on context, it could be 'wake up at an early hour' or 'wake up quickly from sleep').
- 早くして (hayaku shite): Hurry up! / Do it fast!
- 早く帰りましょう (hayaku kaerimashou): Let's go home early. / Let's go home quickly.
How Formal Is It?
"早々にお返事いただき、ありがとうございます。 (Thank you for your prompt reply.)"
"早く駅に着いた。 (I arrived at the station early.)"
"とっとと帰りなさい！ (Go home quickly!)"
"ぱっぱとお片付けしようね。 (Let's clean up quickly, okay?)"
"速攻で終わらせた。 (I finished it super fast.)"
趣味小知识
The kanji 早 itself depicts the sun rising over a tree, hinting at the meaning of 'early'.
需要掌握的语法
Used with verbs to mean 'quickly' or 'fast.'
早く食べなさい. (Eat quickly.)
Used with verbs to mean 'early.'
早く起きます. (I wake up early.)
Can be used as a command or request to do something sooner or faster.
早く来て! (Come quickly/soon!)
Often appears at the beginning of a sentence or before the verb it modifies.
早く宿題を終わらせた. (I finished my homework early.)
Distinguish from 速く (hayaku) which strictly means 'fast' in terms of speed, while 早く can mean both 'fast' (speed) and 'early' (time).
速く走る (to run fast) vs. 早く来る (to come early/quickly).
按水平分级的例句
早く起きるのが健康に良い。
Getting up early is good for health.
もっと早く走れるようになりたい。
I want to be able to run faster.
宿題を早く終わらせて遊びに行こう。
Let's finish homework quickly and go play.
彼はいつも仕事が早く丁寧だ。
He is always fast and careful with his work.
早くしないと、電車に乗り遅れるよ。
If we don't hurry, we'll miss the train.
春が早く来るといいな。
I hope spring comes early.
もっと早くこの本を読んでいればよかった。
I wish I had read this book earlier.
彼は問題を早く解決する能力がある。
He has the ability to solve problems quickly.
次の電車に乗り遅れないように、早く駅に着きましょう。
Let's arrive at the station early so we don't miss the next train.
このプロジェクトを早く終わらせるために、チーム全体で協力しましょう。
Let's cooperate as a whole team to finish this project quickly.
宿題を早く済ませて、遊びに行きたい。
I want to finish my homework quickly and go out to play.
会議が早く終わったので、午後は自由時間になった。
The meeting finished early, so I had free time in the afternoon.
子供たちは早く起きて、クリスマスのプレゼントを開けるのを待っていた。
The children woke up early, waiting to open their Christmas presents.
新しい技術を早く習得するために、毎日練習している。
I practice every day to quickly master new technology.
交通量が少ないうちに、早く目的地に着きたい。
I want to reach my destination quickly while traffic is light.
怪我が早く治るように、医者の指示に従っています。
I am following the doctor's instructions so that my injury heals quickly.
最近の技術革新のおかげで、このプロセスを以前より早く完了できるようになりました。
Thanks to recent technological innovations, we can complete this process faster than before.
チーム全体の協力により、プロジェクトは当初の予定よりも早く進んでいます。
With the cooperation of the entire team, the project is progressing faster than initially planned.
市場の変化に早く対応することが、企業の存続には不可欠です。
Responding quickly to market changes is essential for a company's survival.
彼は状況を早く理解し、適切な対策を講じることができた。
He quickly grasped the situation and was able to take appropriate measures.
環境問題への意識が早く高まることを願っています。
I hope awareness of environmental issues will increase quickly.
新しいシステムを早く導入することで、業務効率の大幅な向上が期待できる。
By introducing the new system quickly, a significant improvement in operational efficiency can be expected.
情報が早く伝わる現代社会では、誤解が生じやすい。
In modern society where information spreads quickly, misunderstandings can easily arise.
この地域の冬は早く始まり、長く続く傾向がある。
Winter in this region tends to start early and last long.
常见搭配
常用短语
早く寝なさい。
Go to bed early.
もっと早く来てください。
Please come earlier.
早く準備してください。
Please prepare quickly.
彼は早く歩きます。
He walks fast.
早く教えてください。
Please tell me soon/quickly.
仕事が早く終わりました。
My work finished early.
バスは早く来ました。
The bus came early.
早く出発しましょう。
Let's depart quickly/early.
この問題をもっと早く解決したい。
I want to solve this problem faster.
早く家に着きたいです。
I want to arrive home quickly/early.
容易混淆的词
An i-adjective meaning 'early' or 'fast' (general, not specific to speed). Modifies nouns.
An i-adjective meaning 'fast' (specific to speed). Modifies nouns.
The adverbial form (hiragana spelling) of both 早い and 速い, meaning 'early' or 'quickly/fast.' Modifies verbs, adjectives, adverbs.
语法模式
容易混淆
Often confused with 早く (hayaku) because they share the same kanji and a similar meaning related to 'early' or 'fast.' However, 早い is an i-adjective, while 早く is an adverb.
早い (hayai) is an i-adjective meaning 'early' or 'fast.' It describes a noun. For example, '早い時間' (hayai jikan) means 'early time.' 早く (hayaku) is an adverb, modifying verbs or other adjectives, meaning 'early' or 'quickly/fast.' For example, '早く起きる' (hayaku okiru) means 'to wake up early.'
朝ごはんを早く食べました。(Asagohan o hayaku tabemashita.) - I ate breakfast early/quickly. (Here, 早く modifies the verb 食べる - to eat.) 早い電車に乗りました。(Hayai densha ni norimashita.) - I rode an early/fast train. (Here, 早い modifies the noun 電車 - train.)
Shares the same pronunciation (hayai) as 早い and a similar meaning of 'fast,' leading to confusion in written Japanese as well as when hearing the word.
速い (hayai) is an i-adjective specifically meaning 'fast' in terms of speed. It describes how quickly something moves. 早い (hayai) can mean 'early' or 'fast' in a more general sense (e.g., fast at finishing something, or early in time). The kanji differentiate the nuance: 速 for speed, 早 for early/quickness.
あの車はとても速い。(Ano kuruma wa totemo hayai.) - That car is very fast. (Referring to speed.) 仕事が速いですね。(Shigoto ga hayai desu ne.) - You are fast at your work. (Referring to quickness in finishing.)
This is simply the hiragana spelling of 早く (hayaku), the adverbial form. The confusion arises from knowing when to use the kanji (早く) versus hiragana (はやく), or when to use it instead of 早い (hayai) or 速い (hayai).
はやく (hayaku) is the adverbial form of both 早い (early/quick) and 速い (fast). It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. While often written with kanji (早く), it can also be written in hiragana. The key is its function as an adverb. The kanji 早く is often used for both 'early' and 'quickly' (non-speed specific), whereas 速く (also pronounced hayaku) is used specifically for 'fast' in terms of speed.
早く来てください。(Hayaku kite kudasai.) - Please come early/quickly. 宿題をはやく終わらせたい。(Shukudai o hayaku owarasetai.) - I want to finish my homework quickly.
Can sometimes be used in contexts where 'early' or 'already' is implied, potentially overlapping with the feeling of 'quickly' or 'sooner' that 早く conveys. For example, 'もう来た' (mou kita - already came) versus '早く来て' (hayaku kite - come quickly).
もう (mou) means 'already' or 'yet' (in negative/interrogative sentences) or 'another/more.' It indicates something has happened or will happen by a certain time. 早く (hayaku) means 'early' or 'quickly,' focusing on the speed or earliness of an action. They address different aspects of timing.
もう時間がない。(Mou jikan ga nai.) - There's no time left (already no time). もっと早く教えてください。(Motto hayaku oshiete kudasai.) - Please tell me earlier/sooner.
Means 'immediately' or 'right away,' which can be perceived as similar to 'quickly' or 'soon' conveyed by 早く. Both express a sense of promptness.
すぐ (sugu) emphasizes immediacy – something happening without delay. 早く (hayaku) emphasizes earliness or quickness, meaning 'sooner than expected' or 'at a fast pace.' While both relate to time, 'すぐ' is about 'now' or 'right after,' and '早く' is about 'sooner' or 'faster.'
すぐ行きます。(Sugu ikimasu.) - I will go immediately. 早く帰りましょう。(Hayaku kaerimashou.) - Let's go home early/quickly.
句型
早く + verb
早く起きてください。(Please wake up early.)
早く + verb
早く行ってください。(Please go fast.)
早く + なります
冬は日が早く暗くなります。(In winter, the days get dark early.)
〜から、早く + verb
時間がありませんから、早く食べましょう。(We don't have much time, so let's eat fast.)
如何使用
早く (hayaku) means 'early' or 'fast.' It's often used when talking about speed or timing. For example, to say 'come quickly,' you'd say 早く来てください (hayaku kite kudasai). To say 'wake up early,' you'd use 早く起きてください (hayaku okite kudasai).
A common mistake is confusing 早く (hayaku) with 早い (hayai). 早い is an i-adjective meaning 'early' or 'fast' (e.g., 早い電車 - hayai densha - a fast train), while 早く is its adverbial form. Remember, 早く modifies verbs, describing how something is done (quickly, early). 早い describes nouns, describing what kind something is (a fast train, an early morning).
记住它
记忆技巧
Imagine a cheetah running *early* in the morning, very *fast*. The sound "hayaku" (ha-ya-ku) sounds a bit like a quick, short breath, like a swift animal.
视觉联想
Picture a sunrise with a clock. The sun is just peeking over the horizon (early), and the hands of the clock are spinning rapidly (fast).
Word Web
挑战
Translate these sentences: 1. I want to go home early. (早く家に帰りたいです。) 2. Please speak a bit faster. (もう少し早く話してください。) 3. The train arrived early. (電車が早く着きました。)
词源
From the adjective 早い (hayai), meaning early or fast.
原始含义： The adverbial form of 早い, directly conveying the sense of 'early' or 'quickly'.
Japonic文化背景
Understanding 早く is crucial for everyday conversations in Japan. It's often used in polite requests or instructions, emphasizing efficiency or timeliness. For example, saying 「早くね！」 (Hayaku ne!) to a child can mean 'Hurry up!' or 'Be quick!'
自我测试 120 个问题
Choose the best translation for '早く来てください' (Hayaku kite kudasai).
'早く' (hayaku) means 'early' or 'fast', and '来てください' (kite kudasai) means 'please come'.
Which sentence means 'I want to go home quickly'?
'早く' (hayaku) means 'quickly' or 'fast'. '家に帰りたいです' (ie ni kaeritai desu) means 'I want to go home'.
If someone tells you '早く起きてください' (Hayaku okite kudasai), what are they asking you to do?
'早く' (hayaku) means 'early', and '起きてください' (okite kudasai) means 'please get up'.
The sentence '早くご飯を食べましょう' (Hayaku gohan o tabemashou) means 'Let's eat dinner slowly'.
'早く' (hayaku) means 'fast' or 'quickly', so it means 'Let's eat quickly'.
In the phrase '早く勉強してください' (Hayaku benkyou shite kudasai), '早く' means 'early'.
While '早く' can mean 'fast', in this context with '勉強してください' (please study), it implies 'study early' or 'study promptly'.
You can use '早く' (hayaku) to describe running slowly.
'早く' (hayaku) means 'fast' or 'quickly', not slowly.
Write a short sentence telling someone to come quickly.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早く来て。
Write a sentence saying you woke up early.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私は早く起きました。
Write a sentence asking someone to finish work fast.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早く仕事を終わらせてください。
What does '早く食べましょう' mean?
Read this passage:
A: 早く食べましょう。 B: はい、食べます。
What does '早く食べましょう' mean?
早く (hayaku) means early or fast, and 食べましょう (tabemashou) means 'let's eat'.
早く (hayaku) means early or fast, and 食べましょう (tabemashou) means 'let's eat'.
What is the man doing?
Read this passage:
彼は早く走ります。
What is the man doing?
早く (hayaku) means fast, and 走ります (hashirimasu) means to run.
早く (hayaku) means fast, and 走ります (hashirimasu) means to run.
When does this person wake up?
Read this passage:
朝早く起きます。
When does this person wake up?
朝 (asa) means morning, and 早く (hayaku) means early.
朝 (asa) means morning, and 早く (hayaku) means early.
This sentence means 'Mr. Tanaka comes early.' The particle 'は' marks the topic '田中さん'. '早く' is an adverb modifying the verb '来ます'.
This sentence means 'Please run faster.' 'もっと' means 'more'. '早く' modifies '走って' (the te-form of 'to run'). 'ください' is used to make a request.
This sentence means 'Do you wake up early?' 'あなたは' means 'you'. '早く' modifies '起きますか' (the verb 'to wake up' in question form).
___ 起きて、朝ごはんを食べました。(I woke up ___ and ate breakfast.)
「早く」 means 'early' here, indicating waking up early.
もっと___歩いてください。(Please walk more ___.)
「早く」 means 'fast' or 'quickly' in this context, asking someone to walk faster.
彼は___宿題を終わらせた。(He finished his homework ___.)
「早く」 implies 'quickly' or 'early', meaning he finished his homework without delay.
___来てください。(Please come ___.)
「早く」 in this command means 'quickly' or 'soon'.
私は___家を出ます。(I leave the house ___.)
「早く」 means 'early' in this sentence, indicating leaving the house early.
この電車はとても___走ります。(This train runs very ___.)
「早く」 means 'fast' when describing how the train runs.
Write a sentence using 早く to say 'Please come early.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早く来てください。
Write a sentence using 早く to say 'I want to go home fast.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早く家に帰りたいです。
Write a sentence using 早く to say 'He runs fast.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼は早く走ります。
Bさんはどうしたいですか？ (What does B want to do?)
Read this passage:
A: すみません、電車が遅れそうです。 B: そうですか。私も早く会社に着きたいです。 A: 早く着くといいですね。
Bさんはどうしたいですか？ (What does B want to do?)
Bさんは「私も早く会社に着きたいです」と言っています。(B says 'I also want to arrive at the company early.')
Bさんは「私も早く会社に着きたいです」と言っています。(B says 'I also want to arrive at the company early.')
この人はなぜ早く学校に行きたいですか？ (Why does this person want to go to school early?)
Read this passage:
私は毎日早く起きます。そして、早く朝ごはんを食べます。学校に早く行きたいからです。
この人はなぜ早く学校に行きたいですか？ (Why does this person want to go to school early?)
文章には、早く学校に行きたい理由が直接書かれていません。(The reason for wanting to go to school early is not directly written in the passage.)
文章には、早く学校に行きたい理由が直接書かれていません。(The reason for wanting to go to school early is not directly written in the passage.)
生徒はテストが終わったら何ができますか？ (What can the student do after the test is over?)
Read this passage:
先生: 明日のテスト、早く終わらせてくださいね。 生徒: はい、頑張ります！ 先生: 早く終わったら、遊びに行ってもいいですよ。
生徒はテストが終わったら何ができますか？ (What can the student do after the test is over?)
先生は「早く終わったら、遊びに行ってもいいですよ」と言っています。(The teacher says 'If you finish early, you can go play.')
先生は「早く終わったら、遊びに行ってもいいですよ」と言っています。(The teacher says 'If you finish early, you can go play.')
会議が9時に始まります。___ 来てください。
「早く」は「早く来て」のように、予定よりも早い到着を促す場合に使います。
このレポートを___仕上げなければなりません。
「早く」は「早く仕上げる」のように、期限がある中で迅速な行動を促す場合に使います。
彼は毎日___起きて、ジョギングをしています。
「早く起きる」は、通常よりも早い時間に起床することを表します。
この電車はとても___走ります。
「早く走る」は、速いスピードで移動することを表します。
もう少し___話していただけませんか。
この文脈では「早く」は「もっと早く話す」という意味で、話すスピードを上げることを指します。
彼はいつも仕事が___終わります。
「早く終わる」は、予定よりも早く、または短い時間で作業が完了することを意味します。
Choose the sentence where "早く" means "early":
Option D is the only sentence where '早く' unambiguously means 'early' in the context of waking up. Options A, B, and C can all be interpreted as 'fast' or 'quickly'.
Which sentence correctly uses "早く" to mean "fast" or "quickly"?
In option B, '早く' means 'quickly' in the context of preparing. The other options use '早く' to mean 'early'.
Select the best English translation for: 「もっと早く教えてください。」(Motto hayaku oshiete kudasai.)
Given the context of '教えてください' (please tell/teach me), 'もっと早く' most naturally translates to 'earlier' in this context, implying a request for information sooner.
In the sentence 「電車が早く着いた。」(Densha ga hayaku tsuita.), "早く" means the train arrived 'early'.
When referring to arrival times, '早く' typically means 'early'.
The phrase 「早く走る。」(Hayaku hashiru.) can only mean 'to run fast'.
While 'to run fast' is a common interpretation, without further context, it could potentially imply starting to run 'early' (e.g., 'to start running early in the race'). However, 'to run fast' is the most direct meaning in isolation.
「早く決めてください。」(Hayaku kimete kudasai.) means 'Please decide quickly.'
In the context of making a decision, '早く' means 'quickly' or 'without delay'.
What time did someone get up?
What should we do with the food?
How should someone run?
Read this aloud:
早く宿題を終わらせて。
Focus: Hayaku shukudai o owarasete.
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
バスが早く来た。
Focus: Basu ga hayaku kita.
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
早く会いたい。
Focus: Hayaku aitai.
你说的：
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This sentence means 'Let's arrive at the station early.' 早く (hayaku) means early/fast, 駅 (eki) means station, に (ni) is a particle indicating direction/location, and つきましょう (tsukimashou) means let's arrive.
This sentence means 'Please finish your homework quickly and come.' 早く (hayaku) means quickly, 宿題 (shukudai) means homework, を (o) is a direct object particle, 終えて (oete) is the te-form of 終える (oeru - to finish), and 来てください (kite kudasai) means please come.
This sentence means 'You should go to bed early.' 早く (hayaku) means early, 寝た (neta) is the past tense of 寝る (neru - to sleep), and ほうがいいです (hou ga ii desu) means it's better to.
Choose the sentence where 早く is used correctly to mean 'fast'.
早く (hayaku) in '彼は早く走ることができます。' (He can run fast.) refers to speed. In other options, it means 'early'.
Which sentence uses 早く to express the meaning of 'early'?
早く (hayaku) in '彼はもっと早く来るべきだった。' (He should have come earlier.) indicates an earlier time. The other options refer to speed or finishing quickly.
Select the most natural translation for 'Please finish your work quickly.'
早く (hayaku) combined with the verb 終わらせる (owaraseru - to finish) and the polite request form 〜てください (〜te kudasai) correctly conveys 'Please finish quickly'.
The sentence '早く準備をしましょう。' means 'Let's prepare early.'
はい、その通りです。 '早く準備をしましょう。' (Hayaku junbi o shimashō.) means 'Let's prepare early.' or 'Let's prepare quickly.', depending on context. In this case, 'early' is a valid interpretation.
In '彼は早くゴルフを始めた。', 早く primarily means 'fast' in terms of skill.
いいえ、違います。 '彼は早くゴルフを始めた。' (Kare wa hayaku gorufu o hajimeta.) usually means 'He started golf early (in life/in the day)', not that he started playing skillfully or fast. The nuance here is 'early' in terms of time.
You can use 早く to express 'I want to improve my Japanese quickly.'
はい、使えます。例えば、「日本語が早く上達したいです。」(Nihongo ga hayaku jōtatsu shitai desu.)のように使えます。
Someone is asking to prepare something quickly.
Someone is asking if you can come earlier.
Describes someone's punctuality at work.
Read this aloud:
早く寝てください。
Focus: はやく (hayaku)
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
早く終わらせましょう。
Focus: おわらせましょう (owarasemashou)
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
早く教えてください。
Focus: おしえてください (oshietekudasai)
你说的：
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This sentence means 'The meeting started because he arrived early.' '早く' modifies '着いた' (arrived).
This sentence means 'If I had run faster, I would have made the train.' '早く' modifies '走れば' (if I run).
This sentence means 'I want to finish this work quickly and go home.' '早く' modifies '終わらせて' (finish).
今日の会議はいつもより___始まりました。
「早く」は「earlier」の意味で、会議が通常よりも早い時間に始まったことを示します。
新しいプロジェクトを成功させるためには、___行動する必要があります。
「早く行動する」は「to act quickly/swiftly」という意味で、迅速な対応が求められる状況で使われます。
彼女は仕事に___慣れて、今ではチームの主要な一員です。
「早く慣れる」は「to get used to quickly」という意味で、適応が速いことを表します。
明日は___家を出ないと、渋滞に巻き込まれてしまいます。
「早く家を出る」は「to leave home early」という意味で、時間的な早さを強調しています。
このレポートは締め切りが近いので、___仕上げなければなりません。
「早く仕上げる」は「to finish quickly」という意味で、作業の速さが求められる状況で使われます。
試験の結果を___知りたい気持ちでいっぱいです。
「早く知りたい」は「to want to know quickly/soon」という意味で、期待や焦りの気持ちを表します。
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼はいつも___起きます。
「早く」 (hayaku) means 'early' or 'fast'. The sentence '彼はいつも___起きます' (Kare wa itsumo ___ okimasu) means 'He always wakes up ___'. So, 'early' fits best.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses '早く' to mean 'quickly'?
In this context, '早く' (hayaku) refers to the speed of eating, meaning 'quickly'. The other options convey 'early' rather than 'quickly'.
Select the sentence where '早く' is used to express urgency or a request for speed.
「早く来てください」 (Hayaku kite kudasai) means 'Please come quickly' or 'Please come soon', indicating a request for speed or promptness. The other sentences express desire for an early action or that something ended early.
「早く」 can only be used to describe the speed of an action, not the timing.
「早く」 (hayaku) can be used for both the speed of an action (e.g., 'to do something quickly') and the timing of an event (e.g., 'to do something early').
If someone says 「早く寝なさい」 (Hayaku nenasai), they are telling you to go to bed quickly, not necessarily early.
「早く寝なさい」 (Hayaku nenasai) means 'Go to bed early'. While it implies promptness, the primary meaning is about the time of going to bed, not the speed at which one gets into bed.
The sentence 「早く行こう」 (Hayaku ikou) means 'Let's go early' or 'Let's go quickly'.
「早く行こう」 (Hayaku ikou) can indeed mean both 'Let's go early' (e.g., to avoid traffic) or 'Let's go quickly' (e.g., to reach a destination faster). The specific nuance depends on the context.
This sentence means 'I didn't think he would arrive so early.' The adverb 早く modifies the verb 着く (to arrive).
This sentence translates to 'We did our best to finish the project quickly.' 早く modifies 終わらせる (to finish).
This means 'If we had left earlier, we probably wouldn't have been caught in traffic.' 早く modifies 出発していれば (if we had departed).
このプロジェクトを成功させるためには、全社を挙げて___に取り組む必要があります。
文脈から、プロジェクトを成功させるためには「早く」取り組む必要があると推測できます。'早く'は「迅速に、急いで」という意味合いで使われます。
今日の会議で決定された事項は、関係者全員に___伝達されます。
会議での決定事項は関係者に「早く」伝達されるべきである、という文脈から'早く'が適切です。'早く'は「すみやかに、迅速に」という意味合いで使われます。
新しいシステムへの移行には、計画段階から___着手することが求められます。
新しいシステムへの移行は、計画段階から「早く」着手する必要があるという文脈から'早く'が適切です。'早く'は「前もって、早めに」という意味合いで使われます。
市場の変化に対応するためには、競合他社よりも___戦略を打ち出す必要があります。
市場の変化に対応するためには、競合他社よりも「早く」戦略を打ち出す必要があるという文脈から'早く'が適切です。'早く'は「迅速に、先んじて」という意味合いで使われます。
この問題の解決には、専門家チームが___介入し、状況を把握することが不可欠です。
問題解決には専門家チームが「早く」介入することが不可欠である、という文脈から'早く'が適切です。'早く'は「速やかに、直ちに」という意味合いで使われます。
プロジェクトの成功には、リスク要因を___特定し、対策を講じることが肝要です。
プロジェクト成功のためには、リスク要因を「早く」特定し、対策を講じることが重要である、という文脈から'早く'が適切です。'早く'は「早期に、前もって」という意味合いで使われます。
Choose the sentence where "早く" is used to mean "early" in a sophisticated context.
Option A uses 早く to denote arriving sooner than a scheduled time, which aligns with the 'early' meaning. The others lean more towards 'fast' or a general sense of urgency.
Select the most nuanced usage of "早く" emphasizing speed or promptness in a complex scenario.
Option A implies swift resolution to a complex problem, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of 'fast' in an abstract context. The other options are more straightforward uses of 'fast' or 'soon'.
Which sentence demonstrates "早く" in the sense of 'sooner than expected or desired' in a formal or literary style?
Option B uses '早くから' to indicate 'from an early stage' or 'sooner than typical', often found in more advanced narratives describing achievement or development. The other options are more direct uses of 'early' or 'fast'.
In the sentence「彼は早くその事実を受け入れた。」, "早く" primarily conveys that he accepted the fact at an unexpectedly early stage, rather than quickly.
While 'quickly' is a possible interpretation, in this context, '早く' more strongly implies acceptance occurred sooner than one might expect given the nature of 'the fact', suggesting an early emotional or intellectual processing.
The phrase 「早くも」 always implies something happened earlier than anticipated and often carries a sense of surprise or noteworthiness.
「早くも」 is a set expression meaning 'already' or 'as early as', specifically used to highlight that something has occurred sooner than expected or is remarkably early, often with an underlying tone of surprise or significance.
In the sentence「早く、結論を出してください。」, "早く" unequivocally means 'quickly' and cannot be interpreted as 'at an early stage'.
In this imperative sentence, '早く' functions as an urgent command for speed, demanding that a conclusion be reached without delay. It refers to the swiftness of the action, not the timing relative to a larger timeframe.
The speaker needs to finish a project quickly due to a deadline. Pay attention to how '早く' emphasizes the urgency.
The speaker is talking about a daily routine. Listen for how '早く' describes the timing of waking up.
The speaker is encouraging teamwork to resolve an issue. Note how '早く' indicates the desired speed of resolution.
Read this aloud:
もっと早く来ていれば、もっと多くの情報が得られたのに。
Focus: はやく (hayaku)
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
そのニュースを早く知りたかったのですが、インターネットが繋がりませんでした。
Focus: はやく (hayaku)
你说的：
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Read this aloud:
仕事が早く終わったら、映画を見に行きませんか？
Focus: はやく (hayaku)
你说的：
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You are organizing a complex international conference. Write an email to your team outlining the urgent tasks that need to be completed 早く (hayaku) to ensure the event's success. Focus on strict deadlines and the consequences of delays.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
チーム各位, 国際会議の準備に関して、いくつかのタスクを至急、早く完了する必要があります。特に、スピーカーの最終確認と会場設営のロジスティクスは、今週末までに期限厳守で対応してください。これらの遅延は、会議全体の成功に深刻な影響を及ぼす可能性があります。皆様の迅速なご協力をお願いいたします。 よろしくお願いいたします。
Describe a situation where someone had to act 早く (hayaku) to avert a significant disaster or crisis. Explain the context, the actions taken, and the positive outcome.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
先日、工場で大規模なシステム障害が発生しかけました。もし担当者が早く対応していなければ、生産ライン全体が停止し、莫大な損失が出ていたでしょう。彼は障害発生の兆候を即座に察知し、迅速な対応でシステムを復旧させました。その危機一髪の対応が功を奏し、事態は無事回避されました。
Imagine you are giving advice to a junior colleague on how to efficiently manage their workload. Emphasize the importance of completing tasks 早く (hayaku) and how it contributes to overall productivity and stress reduction.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
新人の皆さん、仕事の効率化にはタスクを早くこなすことが非常に重要です。常に優先順位をつけ、できる限り早く、前倒しで作業を進める習慣をつけましょう。これにより、締め切り前の焦りを減らし、生産性を高めるだけでなく、不必要なストレスも軽減できます。早めの対応が、最終的には良い結果につながります。
この文章から、ビジネスにおいて「早く」情報入手や意思決定を行うことがなぜ重要だと考えられますか？
Read this passage:
今日の現代社会において、情報伝達の速度はかつてないほどに加速しています。特にビジネスの場では、競合他社に先んじて新しい情報を早く入手し、それに基づいて迅速な意思決定を行うことが、企業の存続と発展に不可欠となっています。この速さを追求する文化は、個人の生活にも浸透し、例えばオンラインショッピングでは、注文から配達までの速さが顧客満足度を大きく左右します。
この文章から、ビジネスにおいて「早く」情報入手や意思決定を行うことがなぜ重要だと考えられますか？
本文では、「競合他社に先んじて新しい情報を早く入手し、それに基づいて迅速な意思決定を行うことが、企業の存続と発展に不可欠となっています」と明記されています。
本文では、「競合他社に先んじて新しい情報を早く入手し、それに基づいて迅速な意思決定を行うことが、企業の存続と発展に不可欠となっています」と明記されています。
災害時の救助活動において、「早く」行動することが最も重要である主な理由は何ですか？
Read this passage:
大規模な災害が発生した際、救助活動は時間との戦いとなります。一刻も早く被災者の元へ到達し、適切な支援を提供することが、生命の危機に瀕している人々を救う上で最も重要です。このため、災害発生時の初期対応においては、全ての関係機関が連携し、迅速かつ効果的に行動する計画が不可欠とされています。訓練やシミュレーションを通じて、より早く対応できる体制を構築する努力が続けられています。
災害時の救助活動において、「早く」行動することが最も重要である主な理由は何ですか？
文章中には「一刻も早く被災者の元へ到達し、適切な支援を提供することが、生命の危機に瀕している人々を救う上で最も重要です」と書かれています。
文章中には「一刻も早く被災者の元へ到達し、適切な支援を提供することが、生命の危機に瀕している人々を救う上で最も重要です」と書かれています。
テクノロジーの進化が「早く」という概念を私たちの生活にもたらした例として、本文中で言及されているのは次のうちどれですか？
Read this passage:
テクノロジーの進化は、私たちの生活のあらゆる側面に「早く」という概念をもたらしました。例えば、高速インターネットの普及により、私たちは瞬時に世界中の情報にアクセスできるようになりました。また、交通手段の発展も、移動時間を劇的に短縮し、物理的な距離の制約を以前よりも早く克服することを可能にしています。しかし、この速さが常に最善とは限らず、時にはじっくりと時間をかけることの重要性も見直されつつあります。
テクノロジーの進化が「早く」という概念を私たちの生活にもたらした例として、本文中で言及されているのは次のうちどれですか？
文章では「高速インターネットの普及により、私たちは瞬時に世界中の情報にアクセスできるようになりました。また、交通手段の発展も、移動時間を劇的に短縮し、物理的な距離の制約を以前よりも早く克服することを可能にしています」と述べられています。
文章では「高速インターネットの普及により、私たちは瞬時に世界中の情報にアクセスできるようになりました。また、交通手段の発展も、移動時間を劇的に短縮し、物理的な距離の制約を以前よりも早く克服することを可能にしています」と述べられています。
This sentence encourages someone to finish work quickly and then go out for a drink. 早く (hayaku) means 'quickly' or 'early'.
This sentence states that 'He always has a habit of waking up early.' 早く (hayaku) modifies the verb 起きる (okiru) meaning 'to wake up'.
This expresses regret, 'It would have been better if you had told me sooner.' 早く (hayaku) here means 'sooner' or 'earlier'.
/ 120 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
早く (hayaku) is a versatile adverb for expressing both 'early' and 'fast' in Japanese.
- Use 早く to say 'early' for time.
- Use 早く to say 'fast' for speed.
- It's the adverb form of 早い (hayai).
相关内容
更多general词汇
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
