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仓促 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
仓促cāngcùall of a suddenHSK 7, ad, 13 strokes, rank #12366, Very Hard
仓促cāngcùhurriedlyHSK 7, ad, 13 strokes, rank #12366, Very Hard
cāngcù(cang1cu4)cang cu T1
  1. 1all of a sudden
  2. 2hurriedly
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March 24, 2026

仓促(倉促)cāngcù(cang1cu4)

仓促 (cāngcù) is an adverb that describes actions taken hurriedly or in a rush, often without adequate preparation. It is commonly used to express a sense of urgency or lack of thoughtfulness in decision-making or behavior, highlighting the impulsive nature of the action.

Strokes13Frequency#12366DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 仓促 is often viewed negatively, as it implies a lack of careful planning and consideration. This is particularly important in contexts such as business negotiations or family gatherings, where careful thought is valued.

Memory Tip

Imagine a crowded warehouse (仓) where workers are in a hurry (促) to pack orders. Picture them rushing around, creating chaos, which helps you remember 仓促 means to act hastily or unexpectedly.

Meanings of 仓促

cāngcù(cang1cu4)
1all of a sudden
2hurriedly
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 仓促

仓促Simplified
倉促Traditional
13Strokes
—Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#12366Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7TOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 仓促

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Podcast: 仓促

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AI Study Notes for 仓促

Quick Contrast

匆忙 (cōngmáng) vs 仓促 (cāngcù): Choose 仓促 when emphasizing a lack of preparation or thoughtfulness, whereas 匆忙 simply indicates being in a hurry.

Usage Notes

仓促 is often used in informal contexts to describe rushed decisions or actions, but it can also be used in written language. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar words like 急忙 (jímáng), which means hurried but can imply a more urgent situation. Remember to use it in the correct tone, as the first tone in 仓 should be clear, while the fourth tone in 促 should be emphasized.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 仓促 connects well with other advanced vocabulary describing emotions and actions. Students should focus on using it correctly in context, particularly in writing, where the nuance of hurriedness can add depth to descriptions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 仓促 with 忙 (máng), which simply means busy. For example, saying '我今天很仓促' (I am very busy today) is incorrect; it should be used to describe actions, such as '他仓促地做决定' (He made a decision hurriedly).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 仓促

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Component Characters

仓cāngbarn
4 strokes人
View full entry
促cùurgent
9 strokes亻
View full entry

How to say all of a sudden in Chinese

“all of a sudden” in Chinese is仓促cāngcù

仓促 (cāngcù) is an adverb that describes actions taken hurriedly or in a rush, often without adequate preparation. It is commonly used to express a sense of urgency or lack of thoughtfulness in decision-making or behavior, highlighting the impulsive nature of the action.

When to use 仓促

仓促 is often used in informal contexts to describe rushed decisions or actions, but it can also be used in written language. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar words like 急忙 (jímáng), which means hurried but can imply a more urgent situation. Remember to use it in the correct tone, as the first tone in 仓 should be clear, while the fourth tone in 促 should be emphasized.

仓促 or something close to it

匆忙 (cōngmáng) vs 仓促 (cāngcù): Choose 仓促 when emphasizing a lack of preparation or thoughtfulness, whereas 匆忙 simply indicates being in a hurry.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 仓促 with 忙 (máng), which simply means busy. For example, saying '我今天很仓促' (I am very busy today) is incorrect; it should be used to describe actions, such as '他仓促地做决定' (He made a decision hurriedly).

Write 仓促

仓
促

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

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Grammar Patterns of 仓促

仓促 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这篇报告到处都是____了事的痕迹。

The report had all the hallmarks of a rushed job.

Example Sentences for 仓促 (12)

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1
这篇报告到处都是仓促了事的痕迹。

zhè piān bào gào dào chǔ dū shì cāng cù le shì de hén jì。

The report had all the hallmarks of a rushed job.
2
我认为,这件事非常重要,不能仓促作决定。

wǒ rèn wéi, , zhè jiàn shì fēi cháng zhòng, yào , bù néng cāng cù zuò。

I think this is too important for a snap decision.
3
我任何时候都不会觉得仓促或者有压力。

wǒ rèn hé shí hòu dū bù huì jué dé cāng cù huò zhě yǒu yā lì。

At no time did I feel rushed or under pressure.
4
他们说自己不会被迫仓促作出任何决定。

tā mén shuō zì jǐ bù huì bèi pò cāng cù zuò chū rèn hé jué dìng。

They say they are not going to be hurried into any decision.
5
这封信是仓促手写而成,潦草得几乎无法辨认。

zhè fēng xìn shì cāng cù shǒu xiě ér chéng, , lǎo cǎo dé jī hū wú fǎ biàn。

The letter was handwritten, in a hasty, barely decipherable scrawl.
6
他们全从那条河仓促地上了岸.

tā mén quán cóng nà tiáo hé cāng cù dì shàng le àn.

They all pell - melled out of that river.
7
会议原本计划得很详细,但因为突发事件,我们仓促结束了。

Huìyì yuánběn jìhuà dé hěn xiángxì, dàn yīnwèi túfā shìjiàn, wǒmen cāngcù jiéshùle.

The meeting was originally planned in detail, but due to an unexpected event, we ended it all of a sudden.
8
他仓促离开了家,连行李都没来得及收拾。

Tā cāngcù líkāile jiā, lián xínglǐ dōu méi láidéjí shōushí.

He left home all of a sudden, without even having time to pack his luggage.
9
由于天气突然变化,我们仓促地改变了计划。

Yóuyú tiānqì tūrán biànhuà, wǒmen cāngcù de gǎibiànle jìhuà.

Due to the sudden change in weather, we changed our plans all of a sudden.
10
他接到电话后,仓促地跑出门去。

Tā jiēdào diànhuà hòu, cāngcù de pǎo chūmén qù.

After receiving the phone call, he ran out the door all of a sudden.
11
会议上提出的新方案让大家感到仓促不已。

Huìyì shàng tíchū de xīn fāng'àn ràng dàjiā gǎndào cāngcù bùyǐ.

The new proposal presented at the meeting caught everyone by surprise all of a sudden.
12
火车到站时间提前了,我们不得不仓促赶到车站。

Huǒchē dàozhàn shíjiān tíqiánle, wǒmen bùdé bù cāngcù gǎndào chēzhàn.

The train's arrival time was moved up, so we had to rush to the station all of a sudden.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 仓促

While 仓促 is more commonly used in informal contexts, it can be appropriate in formal writing if you are describing a situation that was rushed.

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