HSK 5
迟早
chízǎo
sooner or later
Structure
Subject + 迟早 + (会) + Verb/Predicate (+ 的)
How it works
The word '迟早' (chízǎo) is an adverb used to indicate that something will inevitably happen in the future, even if the exact timing is unknown. It combines the characters for 'late' (迟) and 'early' (早), functioning similarly to the English phrase 'sooner or later'.
Examples
只要你坚持努力，迟早会成功的。
Zhǐyào nǐ jiānchí nǔlì, chízǎo huì chénggōng de.
As long as you persist and work hard, you will succeed sooner or later.
真相迟早会被揭穿的。
Zhēnxiàng chízǎo huì bèi jiēchuān de.
The truth will be exposed sooner or later.
你不听医生的建议，身体迟早会出问题。
Nǐ bù tīng yīshēng de jiànyì, shēntǐ chízǎo huì chū wèntí.
If you don't listen to the doctor's advice, your health will have problems sooner or later.
Common mistakes
Placement is key; '迟早' should be placed before the verb or auxiliary verb (like 会), not at the very end of the sentence.
Tip
'迟早' is often paired with '会...的' to emphasize the certainty of a future event.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 迟早 in real Chinese
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