Discussion of 耽误/耽誤

To include posts you need to register at trainchinese.com

Let's explore the differences between the Chinese words 耽误 (dānwù), 延后 (yánhòu), 推迟 (tuīchí), and 拖延 (tuōyán):

1. 耽误 (dān wù):
- Meaning: This verb is used to indicate a delay or postponement caused by a specific circumstance or factor. It could be entirely objective factor (out of one's control) or deliberately done (within one's control).
- Usage: It implies that something was held up or delayed due to some external or unforeseen situation.
- Example: "因为交通堵塞耽误了开会" (Yīnwèi jiāotōng dǔsè, dānwù le kāihuì) - "Due to traffic congestion, the meeting was delayed."

2. 延后 (yán hòu):
- Meaning: This verb is straightforward and means "to postpone" or "to defer."
- Usage: It is used when an action or event is intentionally moved to a later time or date.
- Example: "由于天气不佳，比赛被延后到明天" (Yóuyú tiānqì bù jiā, bǐsài bèi yánhòu dào míngtiān) - "Due to bad weather, the competition has been postponed to tomorrow."

3. 推迟 (tuīchí):
- Meaning: This verb is similar to "延后" and also means "to postpone" or "to delay."
- Usage: It can be used interchangeably with "延后" and is often used in formal contexts.
- Example: "由于技术问题，发布会被推迟了一个星期" (Yóuyú jìshù wèntí, fābù huì bèi tuīchí le yīgè xīngqī) - "Due to technical issues, the press conference has been postponed for a week."

4. 拖延 (tuōyán):
- Meaning: This verb specifically refers to procrastination or delaying tasks intentionally or habitually.
- Usage: It implies that someone is avoiding or postponing tasks they should be doing.
- Example: "他总是拖延做功课，所以常常要赶在最后一刻完成" (Tā zǒng shì tuōyán zuò gōngkè, suǒyǐ chángcháng yào gǎn zài zuìhòu yīkè wánchéng) - "He always procrastinates on his homework, so he often has to rush to finish it at the last minute."

In summary, while all of these words relate to the concept of delaying or postponing something, they have subtle differences in meaning and usage. Depending on the context, you can choose the word that best conveys the specific type of delay you want to express.

lisaC

What are some common synonyms for 耽误 (dān wu)?

个学生

Show 1 reply

Could someone help me understand the difference between 耽误 and 延误？谢谢你！

bdonner1604

Show 2 replies

延误 is "to incur loss through delay", emphasizing on the "loss". 延误 is a formal word used in written Chinese. Examples:
- 延误工期 to cause a delay in the construction of a project
- 延误时机 to miss an opportunity due to a delay
- 延误交货 to delay the delivery of goods
- 延误农时 to miss the farming season

耽误 is "to delay", and it's more colloquial.

lisaC

谢谢你！我现在明白了。

bdonner1604

To answer to bdonner1604 you need to register at trainchinese.com

What is the context in which 耽误 (dān wu) is typically used?

个学生

Show 2 replies

The Chinese word 耽误 (dān wu) is typically used to describe a situation in which someone has been delayed or has missed the chance to do something. It is often used in the context of a missed opportunity, such as when someone has been too slow to take advantage of a situation or has been held up by something. For example, one might say "他耽误了机会" (tā dān wu le jī huì), which translates to "He missed the chance".

当老师

Any major difference between 错过 in this context?

alexmandarin12345

To answer to 个学生 you need to register at trainchinese.com

You you can select to receive personal notifications on the app or via email for important contributions to words that you are learning in the account settings .