赶不上 (gǎn bù shàng)

verb HSK 4

Traditional 趕不上

gǎn bù shàng

cannot catch up with · to miss (a train, deadline, etc.) · to be unable to keep pace with

Meaning

This is a resultative complement construction meaning to be unable to catch or reach something in time. The character 赶 means 'to rush/catch up,' 不 negates it, and 上 indicates successful achievement of the action. It's commonly used when you miss transportation or can't keep up with someone or something.

Usage

This is a very common everyday expression used when discussing missed transportation (buses, trains, flights) or when you cannot keep pace with someone's speed, progress, or level. It has a neutral tone and is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. Often paired with time expressions or objects like 火车 (train) or 班车 (shuttle bus).

Examples

01
你走得太快了，我赶不上你。
Nǐ zǒu de tài kuài le, wǒ gǎn bù shàng nǐ.
You're walking too fast; I can't keep up with you.
02
如果现在不出发，我们就赶不上最后一班地铁了。
Rúguǒ xiànzài bù chūfā, wǒmen jiù gǎn bù shàng zuìhòu yī bān dìtiě le.
If we don't leave now, we'll miss the last subway train.

Characters

Common collocations

赶不上火车
gǎn bù shàng huǒ chē
to miss the train
赶不上班车
gǎn bù shàng bān chē
to miss the bus
赶不上潮流
gǎn bù shàng cháo liú
to fail to keep up with the trend
赶不上时代
gǎn bù shàng shí dài
to fail to keep pace with the times

Antonyms

赶上gǎn shàngto catch up with, to catch (in time)

Origin

This is a resultative complement structure where 上 indicates successful completion. The 不 inserted between 赶 and 上 creates the potential form, expressing inability. This grammatical pattern is productive in Mandarin for expressing capability or lack thereof.