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verb HSK 4
zhuī shàng
to catch up with · to overtake

Meaning

This verb describes the action of catching up to someone or something that is ahead of you, whether in physical movement, progress, or achievement. It combines 追 (to chase) with the directional complement 上 (up/onto) to indicate successfully reaching the person or thing being pursued.

Usage

Commonly used in both literal contexts (running to catch up with someone) and figurative contexts (catching up in studies, work progress, or development). Often followed by a direct object indicating who or what is being caught up to. The resultative complement 上 emphasizes the successful completion of the catching-up action.

Examples

  1. 01
    他跑得很快，我怎么也追不上。
    Tā pǎo de hěn kuài, wǒ zěn me yě zhuī bù shàng.
    He runs very fast; no matter what I do, I can't catch up.
  2. 02
    经过一个月的努力，她终于追上了班里的其他同学。
    Jīng guò yī gè yuè de nǔ lì, tā zhōng yú zhuī shàng le bān lǐ de qí tā tóng xué.
    After a month of hard work, she finally caught up with the other students in the class.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 追上进度
    zhuī shàng jìn dù
    to catch up with the schedule/progress
  • 追上前面的人
    zhuī shàng qián miàn de rén
    to catch up with the person ahead
  • 努力追上
    nǔ lì zhuī shàng
    to work hard to catch up

Antonyms

Origin

Compound verb formed by adding the directional/resultative complement 上 to the base verb 追. The 上 indicates upward motion or successful attainment, transforming 'to chase' into 'to catch up with.'

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