adverb HSK 4
already · to stop · too
Meaning
已 is a formal literary adverb meaning 'already' or indicating completion. It's commonly seen in written Chinese and formal contexts. While 已经 (yǐjīng) is the more colloquial form meaning 'already', 已 appears frequently in compound words and formal expressions.
Usage
已 is rarely used alone in spoken Mandarin; speakers typically say 已经 instead. However, 已 appears frequently in written language, news reports, formal documents, and fixed expressions. It often combines with other characters to form common words like 已经, 已知, and 已故.
Examples
- 01会议已于昨天结束。.The meeting already ended yesterday.
- 02此事已成过去。.This matter has already become the past.
Common collocations
- 已经already
- 已故deceased, late
- 已婚married
- 已知known
Antonyms
Origin
The character 已 originally depicted a snake coiled back on itself, symbolizing something that has turned back or stopped, which evolved into meanings of completion and 'already'.