HSK 5
立刻
lìkè
immediately
Structure
Subject + 立刻 + Verb / Adjective
How it works
立刻 is an adverb used to indicate that an action or a change in state happens immediately and without delay. It is similar to 马上 but can feel slightly more formal, often used to describe two events that occur in quick succession.
Examples
听到这个好消息，他立刻跳了起来。
Tīngdào zhège hǎo xiāoxi, tā lìkè tiàole qǐlái.
Upon hearing the good news, he immediately jumped up.
会议结束后，我们立刻开始了讨论。
Huìyì jiéshù hòu, wǒmen lìkè kāishǐle tǎolùn.
After the meeting ended, we immediately started the discussion.
医生说病人需要立刻手术。
Yīshēng shuō bìngrén xūyào lìkè shǒushù.
The doctor said the patient needs surgery immediately.
Common mistakes
Don't confuse 立刻 with 刻 (kè, quarter of an hour); 立刻 is a fixed adverb and cannot be modified by time durations.
Tip
While 立刻 and 马上 are often interchangeable, 立刻 emphasizes that the second action follows the first almost instantly, whereas 马上 sometimes implies a very short delay.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 立刻 in real Chinese
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