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趕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
趕gǎnto pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expelx, 14 strokes, radical 走
gǎn(gan3)gan T3
  1. 1to pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expel
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March 24, 2026

趕gǎn(gan3)

The character 趕 (gǎn) primarily means 'to pursue' or 'to overtake,' often used in contexts where someone is trying to catch up with something or someone. It can also signify 'to hurry' or 'to expedite' a process, as well as 'to expel' or force something out. This word is versatile in its usage, fitting various scenarios from daily life to more formal contexts.

Strokes14Radical走
Cultural Note

In China, being punctual and hurrying to meet deadlines is often emphasized in both personal and professional contexts, making the use of 趕 in phrases about time management common. Festivals and events often have a sense of urgency, as people rush to prepare and participate.

Memory Tip

Imagine a runner on a track, desperately trying to 'catch up' to another runner ahead. The character 趕 resembles a person running fast, with the left side (走) suggesting movement or walking, and the right side (干) hinting at urgency. Picture the runner shouting 'gǎn!' as they sprint to overtake.

Meanings of 趕

gǎn(gan3)
1to pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expel
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 趕

趕Simplified
14Strokes
走Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 趕

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Podcast: 趕

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AI Study Notes for 趕

Quick Contrast

追 (zhuī) - use 趕 (gǎn) when emphasizing the act of hurrying or expediting, while 追 (zhuī) focuses more on the pursuit aspect without the urgency.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 趕 with similar-sounding words like 赶 (gǎn) and 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn), which emphasizes urgency. This character is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Be careful with tones, as mispronouncing 'gǎn' could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 趕 is not directly included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is important for learners at HSK 3 and above due to its frequent use in everyday conversation. Students should focus on its different meanings and practice using it in sentences to express urgency or pursuit.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 趕 with the word 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn), which emphasizes immediate action. A common mistake is saying '我趕紧去' instead of '我得趕快去,' which could imply a different urgency level.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 趕

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Etymology of 趕

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 走 represents the meaning and 干 represents the sound. Simplified form of 趕.

Memory Hint

run

Semantic (meaning)走
+
Phonetic (sound)旱
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

趕 = 走 + 旱. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 趕

IDS Structure⿺走旱
趕Full Character
=
走zou3
enclosing
旱han4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 趕?

How to say to pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expel in Chinese

“to pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expel” in Chinese is趕gǎn

The character 趕 (gǎn) primarily means 'to pursue' or 'to overtake,' often used in contexts where someone is trying to catch up with something or someone. It can also signify 'to hurry' or 'to expedite' a process, as well as 'to expel' or force something out. This word is versatile in its usage, fitting various scenarios from daily life to more formal contexts.

When to use 趕

Common mistakes include confusing 趕 with similar-sounding words like 赶 (gǎn) and 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn), which emphasizes urgency. This character is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Be careful with tones, as mispronouncing 'gǎn' could lead to misunderstandings.

趕 or something close to it

追 (zhuī) - use 趕 (gǎn) when emphasizing the act of hurrying or expediting, while 追 (zhuī) focuses more on the pursuit aspect without the urgency.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 趕 with the word 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn), which emphasizes immediate action. A common mistake is saying '我趕紧去' instead of '我得趕快去,' which could imply a different urgency level.

Write 趕

趕

Practice writing 趕 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 趕

Words Containing This Character20
赶gǎnto overtake趕
赶紧gǎnjǐnhurriedly趕緊
赶快gǎnkuàiat once趕快
赶到gǎndàoto hurry (to some place)趕到
赶上gǎnshàngto keep up with趕上
赶来to rush over趕來
赶走to drive out趕走
追赶zhuīgǎnto pursue追趕
赶往gǎnwǎngto hurry to (somewhere)趕往
赶赴gǎnfùto hurry趕赴
赶路to hurry on趕路
赶忙gǎnmángto hurry趕忙
赶脚to work as a carter or porter趕腳
赶不上gǎnbùshàngcan't keep up with趕不上
驱赶to drive out驅趕
赶超to overtake趕超
赶集to go to market趕集
赶跑to drive away趕跑
赶尽杀绝to exterminate趕盡殺絕
迎头赶上to try hard to catch up迎頭趕上
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 趕

What does 赶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 趕

They are the same character, but 趕 is the traditional form while 赶 is the simplified form. Usage depends on the writing system being employed.

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