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立即 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
立即lìjíimmediatelyHSK 5, d, rank #2601, Medium
lìjí(li4ji2) T4
  1. 1immediately
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March 24, 2026
立即lìjí(li4ji2)

立即 (lì jí) means 'immediately' or 'at once'. It is commonly used to express urgency or promptness in actions or responses, often in both spoken and written contexts, such as in instructions or requests.

Frequency#2601DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, there is often a strong emphasis on promptness and efficiency in both personal and professional settings, making the word 立即 particularly relevant in business communications and emergency situations.

Memory Tip

Think of 立即 as 'liquid' rushing out immediately from a bottle. The character 立 means 'to stand' or 'to set up,' which can remind you that something is set up to happen right away, while 箕 represents a quick, sweeping motion, reinforcing immediacy.

Meanings of 立即

lìjí(li4ji2)
1immediately
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 立即

立即Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#2601Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 立即

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Podcast: 立即

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AI Study Notes for 立即

Quick Contrast

立刻 (lìkè) vs 马上 (mǎshàng) — use 立即 for formal or written contexts, while 立刻 and 马上 are more common in spoken language.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 立即 as 'liquid' rushing out immediately from a bottle. The character 立 means 'to stand' or 'to set up,' which can remind you that something is set up to happen right away, while 箕 represents a quick, sweeping motion, reinforcing immediacy.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 立即 with 马上 (mǎ shàng), which also means 'immediately' but can carry a more casual tone. When using 立即 in formal contexts, ensure you maintain a respectful tone to match the urgency implied.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 立即 connects with other time-related words such as 现在 (xiàn zài, 'now') and 马上 (mǎ shàng, 'right away'). Focus on its usage in sentences that convey urgency or promptness to enhance your understanding of context.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, there is often a strong emphasis on promptness and efficiency in both personal and professional settings, making the word 立即 particularly relevant in business communications and emergency situations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 立即 with 马上 in contexts where urgency is required. For example, saying '我马上去' (I will go right away) instead of '我立即去' (I will go immediately) can misrepresent the level of urgency intended.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 立即

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Component Characters

立lìto stand
HSK 65 strokes立
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即jínamely
HSK 77 strokes卩
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Write 立即

立
即

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

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Grammar Patterns of 立即

立即 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. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他们坚决要求你____离开。

The men are very insistent that you leave right away.

Example Sentences for 立即 (10)

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1
他们坚决要求你立即离开。

tā mén jiān jué yào qiú nǐ lì jí lí kāi。

The men are very insistent that you leave right away.
2
当前经济状况需要立即将利率下调两个百分点.

dāng qián jīng jì zhuàng kuàng xū yào lì jí jiāng lì shuài xià tiáo liǎng gè bǎi fēn diǎn.

The economy needs an immediate 2 per cent cut in interest rates.
3
此项动议立即遭到其中两个共和国的反对。

cǐ xiàng dòng yì lì jí zāo dào qí zhōng liǎng gè gòng hé guó de fǎn duì。

The move was immediately challenged by two of the republics.
4
要是当时立即点头同意就好了。

yào shì dāng shí lì jí diǎn tóu tóng yì jiù hǎo le。

A quick nod of approval would have done nicely.
5
那人立即说道：“我必须如此，是不是？”

nà rén lì jí shuō dào：“ ：“ wǒ bì xū rú， cǐ ， shì？”

Quick as a flash, the man said, "I have to, don't I?"
6
如果小偷盗用你的信用卡，你的卡会立即受到保护。

rú guǒ xiǎo tōu dào yòng nǐ de xìn yòng kǎ， ， nǐ de kǎ huì lì jí shòu dào bǎo。

You are protected instantly if a thief misuses your credit card.
7
遇袭之后，人们立即对我表示了些许同情。

yù xí zhī hòu， ， rén mén lì jí duì wǒ biǎo shì le xiē xǔ tóng。

I received a certain amount of sympathy immediately after the attack.
8
被狗咬后，不管伤口多小，都必须立即就医。

bèi gǒu yǎo hòu， ， bù guǎn shāng kǒu duō， xiǎo ， dū bì xū lì jí。

Any dog bite, no matter how small, needs immediate medical attention.
9
英格丽德立即给彼得回了信。

yīng gé lì dé lì jí gěi bǐ dé huí le xìn。

Ingrid answered Peter's letter immediately.
10
他指了指空瓶子，女服务员立即重新拿了一瓶。

tā zhǐ le zhǐ kōng píng zǐ， ， nǚ fú wù yuán lì jí zhòng xīn ná le yī。

He pointed at the empty bottle and the waitress quickly replaced it.

Cultural Notes for 立即

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, there is often a strong emphasis on promptness and efficiency in both personal and professional settings, making the word 立即 particularly relevant in business communications and emergency situations.

Frequently Asked Questions about 立即

Yes, but it's typically more appropriate in formal contexts.