DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

來不及

简来不及 · 繁來不及

Mandarin · pinyin lái bu jí

there's not enough time (to do sth); it's too late

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

來: lái · come, coming; return, returning
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
及: jí · extend; reach; come up to; and
来: lái · come, coming; return, returning

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

2–5–2 · lai2 bu5 ji2

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

來不及 · find source passages ↗ · 来不及 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

loi4 bat1 kap6

Cantonese word readings for 來不及. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

to not to (be able to) make it; to not be able to do something on time; to not have enough time; to be too late

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack