Sunrise, daybreak, the first part of the day.
Early, morning, or ahead of the expected time. The sun (日) rising above the horizon line (十).
早
Common Usage & Traps
- 早上 — morning
- 早饭 — breakfast
- 早点 — breakfast (casual); a bit earlier
- 很早 — very early
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早天早上English speakers try to build 'early day' from 早 + 天, but Chinese says 早上 for morning.
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我早去学校我早上去学校 / 我很早去学校早 alone before a verb does not work like English 'early' here. Use 早上 for 'in the morning' or 很早 for 'very early'.
Can you just say 早 to mean 'morning' instead of 早上?
Only as a casual greeting—not as a normal time word.
早 alone is a clipped, friendly 'Morning!' between friends or coworkers. If you mean the morning as a time period, say 早上, not 早. Saying 我早去学校 sounds like 'I early go to school'—not natural. Say 我早上去学校 (I go to school in the morning) or 我很早去学校 (I go to school very early).
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | 早！(Morning!) | 早上！(sounds like you're announcing a time) |
| Time word | 早上 | 早 as a standalone time noun |
| Sentence | 我早上去学校 / 我很早去学校 | 我早去学校 |
Why does 我早去学校 sound off, but 我很早去学校 is fine?
Bare 早 can't sit alone before a verb—it needs 很 or a time noun like 早上.
In Chinese, a one-syllable word like 早 feels too thin to stand alone as an helper word before a verb. Native speakers either pad it with 很 (我很早去学校 = I go to school very early) or swap in the full time word 早上 (我早上去学校 = I go to school in the morning). Saying 我早去学校 lands like a telegram—understandable but stiff. Street native: 我每天很早就去学校了.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| With 很 | 我很早去学校 | 我早去学校 |
| With time noun | 我早上去学校 | 我早去学校 |
| Everyday version | 我每天很早就去学校了 | 我早去学校 |
Does 早点 mean 'breakfast' or 'a bit earlier'—or both?
Both. Context decides: food vs. timing.
早点 is a double-duty word. In the morning food sense, it means breakfast—usually a quick, casual one (豆浆油条, a bun, that kind of thing). In the timing sense, it means 'a bit earlier' or 'sooner.' So 吃早点 = eat breakfast, but 早点睡 = go to bed a bit earlier. Native speakers never get confused because the verb in front tells you which one it is. If you want the formal word for breakfast, use 早饭.
| Dimension | Food sense | Timing sense |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | breakfast (casual) | a bit earlier / sooner |
| Example | 我去吃早点 | 你早点睡 |
| Formal swap | 早饭 | 早一点儿 |
Is shouting 早！to a coworker rude or friendly?
Friendly and normal—but only with people you already know.
早！is the Chinese equivalent of a nod-and-'morning' in an office hallway. It's warm, casual, and extremely common in Beijing and Taipei workplaces. But it's not for strangers, your boss on day one, or a formal email. With people you don't know, use 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo) or 您好. Think of 早！as the verbal equivalent of a fist bump—great with your team, weird with the CEO.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| With coworkers | 早！ | 早上好 (too formal for close teammates) |
| With strangers/boss | 早上好 / 您好 | 早！(too familiar) |
| In writing | 早上好 | 早！(only in casual chat) |
Appears in Stories 9 stories
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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早上 ，晚上，好好好！
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早上 见面 早上好 ！
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手机问好说 早安 ！
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
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早 中晚，昨今明。
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早上 六点半起床。
Step through a full day—from morning routines to bedtime—and pick up practical phrases for telling time and talking about your own schedule with a typical Chinese rhyme.
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早上 六点半，起床吃 早饭 。
Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.
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他 早上 七点十分开车去学校，四十五分钟能到学校。
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
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很多天后的一天 早上 ，高先明来这里坐车。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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他今天 早上 出门，几乎看不清楚前面的路。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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我坐他对面，看见他把那块肉夹起来，放到了骨碟边沿，跟那根 早 就夹过来，但其实没吃的青菜并排摆着，整整齐齐。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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胡之适看到饼干，笑了，说：“我 早 就吃过了。
Welcome! This short poem helps you practice the months, weekdays, and mealtimes in Chinese. Read it aloud and notice the rhythm. You already know many of these words!
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早上 吃 早饭 ，上午喝 早茶 ，中午吃午饭。
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