HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to catch up with
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to hurry
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to rush
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to try to catch (the bus etc)
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to drive (cattle etc) forward
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to drive (sb) away
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to avail oneself of (an opportunity)
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
until
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
赶
gǎn
to pursue, to overtake; to hurry; to expel
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 走, rank #1039, Medium
gǎn(gan3) T3
1to overtake
2to catch up with
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March 24, 2026
赶(趕)gǎn(gan3)
The character 赶 (gǎn) primarily means 'to overtake' or 'to catch up with.' It is often used in contexts involving speed, such as hurrying to catch a bus or rushing to meet a deadline. The verb can also imply driving something forward, like cattle, or expelling someone from a place.
Strokes10Radical走Frequency#1039DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
The concept of hurrying is prevalent in fast-paced urban environments in China, where public transportation is widely used, making the ability to '赶' the bus or train a common daily experience.
Memory Tip
Imagine a runner chasing after a bus, trying hard to '赶' (gǎn) and catch it before it leaves. The left side of the character resembles a person running, while the right side suggests urgency with its sharp strokes, reinforcing the idea of hurrying.
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AI Study Notes for 赶
Quick Contrast
追 (zhuī) - use 赶 (gǎn) when emphasizing the act of catching up or overtaking, while 追 (zhuī) focuses more on the act of pursuing.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a runner chasing after a bus, trying hard to '赶' (gǎn) and catch it before it leaves. The left side of the character resembles a person running, while the right side suggests urgency with its sharp strokes, reinforcing the idea of hurrying.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 赶 with similar verbs like 追 (zhuī), which means 'to chase' rather than 'to catch up.' It is generally informal, and collocations like 赶时间 (gǎn shíjiān, 'to hurry') are common. Watch out for tone mistakes, as the third tone can easily slip into the second tone.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 赶 connects to other action-oriented verbs like 跑 (pǎo, 'to run') and 追 (zhuī, 'to chase'). Focus on practicing sentences that involve time management or movement to reinforce its meaning and usage.
Cultural Note
The concept of hurrying is prevalent in fast-paced urban environments in China, where public transportation is widely used, making the ability to '赶' the bus or train a common daily experience.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 赶 to mean 'to chase' instead of 'to catch up.' For example, saying '我赶了他' (Wǒ gǎnle tā) incorrectly implies 'I chased him' instead of the intended 'I caught up with him.' Use 追 for 'to chase' instead.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赶
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Grammar Patterns of 赶
赶 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 10 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
Beattie led for several laps before he was overhauled by Itoh.
10
与此同时正赶着在下周三之前把路面重新铺好。
yǔ cǐ tóng shí zhèng gǎn zháo zài xià zhōu sān zhī qián bǎ lù miàn zhòng xīn pū hǎo。
Meanwhile the race is on to resurface the road before next Wednesday.
Cultural Notes for 赶
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, being punctual is highly valued. The word '赶' reflects the importance of time management, especially when catching transportation like buses or trains.
🏮Cultural insight
The concept of hurrying is prevalent in fast-paced urban environments in China, where public transportation is widely used, making the ability to '赶' the bus or train a common daily experience.
Word Family of 赶
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
Compound Meaning
What does 赶 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 赶
Yes, 赶 can be used figuratively in contexts like '赶进度' (gǎn jìndù), which means to catch up on progress. It highlights the urgency to complete tasks or meet deadlines, making it a versatile term in both literal and metaphorical language.
While both 赶 (gǎn) and 追 (zhuī) can mean to catch up, 赶 emphasizes the action of hurrying or rushing, often with a specific destination in mind. 追, on the other hand, focuses more on the act of pursuing or chasing someone or something.
You can use 赶 in a sentence like '我赶不上公交车了' (Wǒ gǎn bù shàng gōngjiāo chē le), which means 'I can't catch the bus anymore.' Another example is '我们要赶快出发' (Wǒmen yào gǎnkuài chūfā), meaning 'We need to hurry and set off.'
赶 (gǎn) means to overtake, catch up with, hurry, or rush. It can also refer to trying to catch a bus or driving cattle forward. This character is commonly used in everyday conversation.
You can say 赶上 (gǎn shàng) meaning 'to catch up with' someone or something, as in 赶上公交车 (gǎn shàng gōngjiāo chē, 'catch the bus').
While it is more informal, 赶 can be used in formal contexts when discussing timely matters, but it's best to pair it with appropriate phrases.
Common collocations include 赶时间 (gǎn shíjiān, 'to hurry') and 赶路 (gǎn lù, 'to rush on the road').
