Translation guide
The concept of doing something quickly, often with urgency or without proper care. In Japanese, this can be expressed through nouns, adjectives, verbs, and set phrases that convey speed, impatience, or rashness.
Expressing that something is done fast, without negative connotation.
Noun meaning 'speed' or 'quickness'. Used for physical speed or rapidity of action.
彼の仕事の速さには驚いた。
I was surprised by the speed of his work.
Noun or na-adjective meaning 'swift' or 'rapid'. Often used in formal or business contexts.
迅速な対応をお願いします。
Please respond swiftly.
I-adjective meaning 'quick', 'nimble', or 'prompt'. Describes agile movements or quick reactions.
彼は素早く逃げた。
He quickly ran away.
Expressing the state of being in a hurry, often with a sense of urgency or pressure.
Noun meaning 'hurry' or 'haste'. Commonly used in phrases like 急ぎの用事 (urgent business).
急ぎの仕事が入った。
An urgent task came up.
Noun meaning 'busyness' or 'hustle and bustle'. Implies a rushed, hectic atmosphere.
年末の慌ただしさが嫌いだ。
I hate the year-end rush.
Te-form of 急ぐ (to hurry), used adverbially to mean 'in a hurry' or 'quickly'.
急いで家を出た。
I left the house in a hurry.
Expressing haste that leads to mistakes or poor decisions, often with a nuance of regret or criticism.
Noun meaning 'impatience' or 'anxiety' from feeling rushed. Often used when haste causes errors.
焦りからミスをした。
I made a mistake out of haste.
Na-adjective meaning 'rash' or 'thoughtless'. Describes acting hastily without due consideration.
Te-form of 慌てる (to panic, to be flustered), used adverbially to mean 'in a fluster' or 'hastily', often with negative results.
慌てて家を出たら、財布を忘れた。
I left the house in a rush and forgot my wallet.
Common sayings that warn against acting too quickly.
Proverb meaning 'more haste, less speed' or 'make haste slowly'. Literally: 'If you are in a hurry, take the long way around.'
急がば回れで、安全な道を選んだ。
I chose the safe route, following the principle of 'more haste, less speed'.
Proverb meaning 'haste makes waste'. Literally: 'If you rush, you will mess things up.'
せいては事を仕損じるというから、落ち着いてやろう。
They say haste makes waste, so let's do it calmly.
The English word 'haste' is often translated as 急ぎ (isogi) or 慌て (awate), but these can sound unnatural if used as a direct noun in many contexts. It's more common to use adverbial phrases like 急いで (isoide) or verb forms like 急ぐ (isogu).
急ぎ (isogi) refers to the objective state of being in a hurry, while 焦り (aseri) refers to the subjective feeling of impatience or anxiety that often accompanies haste. Use 急ぎ for neutral urgency and 焦り when haste leads to mental distress or mistakes.
軽率な発言だった。
It was a rash remark.