DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

趕不上

简赶不上 · 繁趕不上

Mandarin · pinyin gǎn bù shàng

can't keep up with
can't catch up with
cannot overtake

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Characters in this entry

趕: Look up this written character
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
上: shàng · top; superior, highest; go up, send up
赶: gǎn · pursue, follow; expel, drive away

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

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Mandarin tones

3–4–4 · gan3 bu4 shang4

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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.

趕不上 · find source passages ↗ · 赶不上 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 4 senses

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

verb

to be unable to overtake; to be unable to catch up with
to be not be as good as
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
to be unable to meet with (a favourable situation)

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

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