来不及

來不及

láibují

verb HSK 4 #4,683

Meanings

1 too late (to do something); not enough time
2 there's no time

Characters

to reach; in time

Cannot come in time — too late.

Examples

来不及了，我们打车吧！

Lái bu jí le, wǒmen dǎchē ba!

There's no time, let's take a taxi!

他来不及吃早饭就出门了。

Tā lái bu jí chī zǎofàn jiù chūmén le.

He left without having time for breakfast.

现在开始准备来不及了。

Xiànzài kāishǐ zhǔnbèi lái bu jí le.

It's too late to start preparing now.

Tips

grammar

来不及 and 来得及 are a potential complement pair (V不/得C). 来不及 = can't make it in time; 来得及 = can still make it.

Stroke Order

来 lái

不 bù

及 jí