jǐnjí: 紧急 - Urgent, Emergency, Critical

• Keywords: jǐnjí, 紧急, urgent in Chinese, emergency in Chinese, what does jǐnjí mean, how to use 紧急, Chinese for crisis, Chinese for critical situation, HSK 4 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to use 紧急 (jǐnjí), the essential Chinese word for “urgent” or “emergency.” This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage. Whether you're dealing with a personal crisis, a critical work deadline, or understanding public safety announcements, mastering jǐnjí is key to communicating in high-stakes situations in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jǐnjí
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Describes a situation that is urgent, critical, and requires immediate action or attention.
• In a Nutshell: 紧急 (jǐnjí) is the word you use when time is short and the stakes are high. It describes the situation itself—not just your feeling of being rushed. Think of it as the official label for an “emergency” or a “critical” state of affairs, from a medical crisis to a national security threat. It carries a heavy, serious tone that commands immediate response.

• 紧 (jǐn): This character means “tight,” “tense,” or “close.” Picture a rope being pulled taut or a schedule packed tightly with no room to spare. It conveys a sense of pressure and constriction.
• 急 (jí): This character means “impatient,” “anxious,” or “rapid.” The character is composed of a hand (手) and a heart (心), suggesting a heart-pounding anxiety that makes one want to act quickly.

When combined, 紧急 (jǐnjí) literally translates to a “tight and anxious” situation. This powerful combination paints a picture of a crisis where time is constricted (tight) and the need for a rapid response causes anxiety (anxious).

In Chinese culture, maintaining social order and stability is a high priority. The term 紧急 (jǐnjí) is therefore not used lightly, especially in public discourse. When the government or a company issues an 紧急通知 (jǐnjí tōngzhī - emergency notice), it signals a serious disruption that requires the collective's immediate attention and compliance. This contrasts with a more individualistic Western perspective where “emergency” often first brings to mind a personal crisis (e.g., calling 911). While 紧急 certainly applies to personal crises in Chinese, its frequent use in official, top-down communication highlights a collective approach to handling crises. Declaring a situation 紧急 is a powerful tool to mobilize resources, direct public behavior, and restore harmony and safety as quickly as possible. It implies that individual priorities should be set aside to deal with the larger, critical issue at hand.

紧急 (jǐnjí) is a versatile term used in both formal and serious informal contexts.

It directly modifies nouns to describe their critical nature.

• 紧急情况 (jǐnjí qíngkuàng): an emergency situation
• 紧急任务 (jǐnjí rènwù): an urgent task
• 紧急会议 (jǐnjí huìyì): an emergency meeting

It can function as a noun, often in set phrases.

• 在紧急情况下 (zài jǐnjí qíngkuàng xià): in case of emergency
• 这是一个紧急情况 (zhè shì yī gè jǐnjí qíngkuàng): This is an emergency.

This is one of its most common uses. You will see it on signs, in public transport, and in official media.

• 紧急通知 (jǐnjí tōngzhī): Emergency Notice
• 紧急出口 (jǐnjí chūkǒu): Emergency Exit
• 进入紧急状态 (jìnrù jǐnjí zhuàngtài): to enter a state of emergency

• Example 1:
  • 这是一个紧急情况，我们必须马上离开。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī gè jǐnjí qíngkuàng, wǒmen bìxū mǎshàng líkāi.
  • English: This is an emergency situation, we must leave immediately.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using 紧急 to describe a situation (情况) that requires immediate action. This is direct and clear.
• Example 2:
  • 老板给我安排了一个非常紧急的任务。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn gěi wǒ ānpái le yī gè fēicháng jǐnjí de rènwù.
  • English: The boss assigned me a very urgent task.
  • Analysis: Here, 紧急 is used as an adjective in a professional context. It implies a tight deadline and high priority.
• Example 3:
  • 在紧急情况下，请拨打110。
  • Pinyin: Zài jǐnjí qíngkuàng xià, qǐng bōdǎ yāo-yāo-líng.
  • English: In case of emergency, please dial 110.
  • Analysis: This is a standard instructional phrase. `110` is the police emergency number in China. The phrase 在紧急情况下 is a set construction every learner should know.
• Example 4:
  • 由于天气原因，学校发布了紧急停课通知。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, xuéxiào fābùle jǐnjí tíngkè tōngzhī.
  • English: Due to the weather, the school issued an emergency class cancellation notice.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the official use of 紧急 in public announcements (通知, notice).
• Example 5:
  • 他因为家里有紧急的事，提前下班了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi jiā lǐ yǒu jǐnjí de shì, tíqián xiàbān le.
  • English: He got off work early because of a family emergency.
  • Analysis: Shows 紧急 being used for a serious personal matter. 紧急的事 (jǐnjí de shì) is a common way to say “urgent matter” or “emergency.”
• Example 6:
  • 飞机需要紧急降落。
  • Pinyin: Fēijī xūyào jǐnjí jiàngluò.
  • English: The airplane needs to make an emergency landing.
  • Analysis: Here, 紧急 functions as an adverb, modifying the verb `降落` (to land). It emphasizes that the action is forced by a crisis.
• Example 7:
  • 我们为应对紧急事件准备了预案。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen wèi yìngduì jǐnjí shìjiàn zhǔnbèi le yù'àn.
  • English: We have prepared a contingency plan to respond to emergency incidents.
  • Analysis: This sentence is common in business or government planning. 紧急事件 (jǐnjí shìjiàn) means “emergency incident.”
• Example 8:
  • 这名病人需要紧急手术。
  • Pinyin: Zhè míng bìngrén xūyào jǐnjí shǒushù.
  • English: This patient needs emergency surgery.
  • Analysis: A critical medical context. The use of 紧急 here conveys that the situation is life-threatening and time-sensitive.
• Example 9:
  • 消防员正在处理一起紧急火灾。
  • Pinyin: Xiāofángyuán zhèngzài chǔlǐ yī qǐ jǐnjí huǒzāi.
  • English: The firefighters are currently handling an emergency fire incident.
  • Analysis: Used to describe the nature of a public safety event.
• Example 10:
  • 这是我们的紧急联络电话。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen de jǐnjí liánluò diànhuà.
  • English: This is our emergency contact number.
  • Analysis: A practical and common phrase for exchanging contact information for crisis situations.

• `紧急 (jǐnjí)` vs. `急 (jí)`: This is the most common point of confusion.
  • `急 (jí)` is often about a personal feeling of being anxious or in a hurry. It can also describe a need, but it's more subjective. For example: `我很急 (wǒ hěn jí)` means “I'm in a hurry” or “I'm anxious.”
  • `紧急 (jǐnjí)` is objective and describes the situation itself as being critical.
  • Incorrect: `我很紧急。 (Wǒ hěn jǐnjí.)` This is wrong. A person cannot be “emergency.”
  • Correct: `我很急，因为情况很紧急。(Wǒ hěn jí, yīnwèi qíngkuàng hěn jǐnjí.)` - “I'm in a hurry because the situation is urgent.”
• Don't Overuse It: Using 紧急 for minor things, like being late for a movie or needing to find a restroom, is incorrect and overly dramatic. Reserve it for situations that are genuinely serious and have significant consequences. For simple rushing, use `急 (jí)` or `赶时间 (gǎn shíjiān)`.

• 急 (jí) - The root character of 紧急. Means “anxious,” “impatient,” or “in a hurry.” It's more personal and less formal.
• 危险 (wēixiǎn) - Dangerous. An emergency situation is often, but not always, dangerous. The two frequently co-occur.
• 危机 (wēijī) - Crisis. Refers to a larger-scale, often more complex event than a simple emergency, such as an `经济危机` (economic crisis).
• 紧张 (jǐnzhāng) - Nervous, tense. This describes the feeling a person has during a 紧急 situation. It shares the character `紧` (tight).
• 紧急情况 (jǐnjí qíngkuàng) - The full noun phrase for “emergency situation.”
• 紧急状态 (jǐnjí zhuàngtài) - State of emergency. A formal term used by governments.
• 急救 (jíjiù) - First aid; emergency medical treatment. Directly related to medical emergencies.
• 通知 (tōngzhī) - Notice; notification. Often combined to form 紧急通知 (emergency notice).
• 突发 (tūfā) - Sudden; to happen abruptly. Often used to describe an emergency, as in `突发事件` (tūfā shìjiàn) - a sudden incident.