chídào: 迟到 - To Be Late, To Arrive Late

• Keywords: chidao, 迟到, to be late in Chinese, arrive late, Chinese punctuality, late for meeting Chinese, how to say late in Chinese, HSK 2 vocabulary, Chinese verb for tardy.
• Summary: Learn how to use “迟到” (chídào), the essential Chinese verb for “to be late” or “to arrive late.” This guide explores its meaning, cultural significance regarding punctuality and respect in China, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Understand the crucial difference between 迟到 (chídào) and 晚 (wǎn) to avoid common mistakes and sound like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chídào
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To arrive later than the expected or scheduled time.
• In a Nutshell: “迟到” (chídào) is the action of arriving late. It’s not just about time; it’s about conduct. Whether for school, work, or a formal appointment, to “迟到” is to fail to meet an expectation of punctuality. It carries a negative connotation and often requires an apology, as being on time is highly valued in Chinese culture as a sign of respect.

• 迟 (chí): This character means “late,” “slow,” or “delayed.” It is composed of the radical 辶 (chuò), which signifies walking or movement, and 尺 (chǐ), which originally represented a unit of length. Together, they create the image of moving slowly or falling behind schedule.
• 到 (dào): This character means “to arrive,” “to reach,” or “to go to.” It depicts a person or an arrow (originally 至) reaching a destination.
• Combined Meaning: The two characters form a logical and literal meaning: “late” (迟) + “to arrive” (到) = to arrive late.

In China, punctuality is not merely a suggestion; it is a fundamental expression of respect (尊重, zūnzhòng) and reliability. While in some Western cultures, being “fashionably late” to a party can be acceptable, this concept does not translate well to most Chinese contexts. Arriving on time, or even a few minutes early, for a business meeting, a formal dinner, or a class demonstrates that you value the other person's time and the event itself. Consequently, to “迟到” can be seen as disrespectful, irresponsible, or even a slight loss of face (面子, miànzi) for both the person who is late and the person who is kept waiting. This value is especially strong in hierarchical situations. Being late to a meeting with a superior, a professor, or an elder is a significantly more serious offense than being a few minutes late to meet a close friend for coffee. An immediate and sincere apology is almost always expected if you 迟到.

“迟到” is a high-frequency word used in daily life, especially in contexts with set schedules.

• Work and School: This is the most common context. Employees and students are often warned not to 迟到. If they do, they usually need to provide a reason, such as a traffic jam (堵车, dǔchē) or a subway delay.
• Appointments and Formal Events: For things like doctor's appointments, interviews, or weddings, being on time is critical. To 迟到 would be considered very rude.
• Apologizing: The word is almost always used when making an apology. The most common phrases are “对不起，我迟到了” (Duìbuqǐ, wǒ chídào le - “Sorry, I'm late”) or “不好意思，我迟到了” (Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ chídào le - “Excuse me/Sorry, I'm late”).
• Connotation: The connotation of 迟到 is inherently negative. It describes a failure to meet a schedule.

• Example 1:
  • 对不起，我今天上班迟到了。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ jīntiān shàngbān chídào le.
  • English: Sorry, I was late for work today.
  • Analysis: A classic and very common apology. The particle “了” (le) indicates the completion of the action (of arriving late).
• Example 2:
  • 你为什么迟到了？路上堵车了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme chídào le? Lùshang dǔchē le ma?
  • English: Why are you late? Was there a traffic jam on the way?
  • Analysis: A common question when someone arrives late. “堵车” (dǔchē) is a very frequent reason given for being late in Chinese cities.
• Example 3:
  • 明天的会议很重要，谁都不能迟到。
  • Pinyin: Míngtiān de huìyì hěn zhòngyào, shéi dōu bùnéng chídào.
  • English: Tomorrow's meeting is very important, nobody can be late.
  • Analysis: This shows “迟到” used as a strict instruction or rule. “谁都不能” (shéi dōu bùnéng) means “no one is allowed to.”
• Example 4:
  • 他上学从来不迟到，是个好学生。
  • Pinyin: Tā shàngxué cónglái bù chídào, shì ge hǎo xuéshēng.
  • English: He is never late for school; he's a good student.
  • Analysis: This sentence links not being late (不迟到) directly to a positive character trait, highlighting the cultural value of punctuality.
• Example 5:
  • 如果你再迟到，你这个月的奖金就没了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ zài chídào, nǐ zhège yuè de jiǎngjīn jiù méi le.
  • English: If you are late again, you will lose this month's bonus.
  • Analysis: This example demonstrates a clear consequence of being late in a professional setting.
• Example 6:
  • 为了不迟到，我早上六点就出门了。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bù chídào, wǒ zǎoshang liù diǎn jiù chūmén le.
  • English: In order not to be late, I left the house at 6 AM.
  • Analysis: “为了不…” (wèile bù…) is a useful structure meaning “in order not to…”. This shows the proactive effort one might take to avoid being late.
• Example 7:
  • 火车快要开了，我们再不快点就要迟到了。
  • Pinyin: Huǒchē kuàiyào kāi le, wǒmen zài bù kuài diǎn jiù yào chídào le.
  • English: The train is about to leave, if we don't hurry up we're going to be late.
  • Analysis: Here, “要…了” (yào…le) indicates something is about to happen. “就要迟到了” means “about to be late.”
• Example 8:
  • 我跟朋友约会，结果迟到了半个小时。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gēn péngyǒu yuēhuì, jiéguǒ chídào le bàn ge xiǎoshí.
  • English: I had a date with a friend, and as a result, I was late by half an hour.
  • Analysis: “结果” (jiéguǒ) means “as a result” and is often used to state an unfortunate outcome. You can specify the duration of lateness after “迟到”.
• Example 9:
  • 老师，很抱歉，我迟到了五分钟。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī, hěn bàoqiàn, wǒ chídào le wǔ fēnzhōng.
  • English: Teacher, I'm very sorry, I was five minutes late.
  • Analysis: This shows a formal apology to a person of authority (a teacher). “很抱歉” (hěn bàoqiàn) is a slightly more formal apology than “对不起” (duìbuqǐ).
• Example 10:
  • 他昨天迟到的理由是闹钟没响。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuótiān chídào de lǐyóu shì nàozhōng méi xiǎng.
  • English: His reason for being late yesterday was that his alarm clock didn't go off.
  • Analysis: “迟到的理由” (chídào de lǐyóu) is a set phrase for “the reason for being late.”

The most common point of confusion for English speakers is the difference between 迟到 (chídào) and 晚 (wǎn).

• 迟到 (chídào) is a verb. It specifically refers to the action of arriving late for a scheduled event. You do this action.
• 晚 (wǎn) is an adjective or adverb. It describes a state of being late or something happening at a late time.

Think of it this way: You can 迟到 (verb) because you left 晚 (adverb), or because it was 晚 (adjective) when you arrived. Common Mistake: Using 迟到 as an adjective.

• Incorrect: 他是迟到。 (Tā shì chídào.) This sounds like “He is 'to-be-late'.”
• Correct: 他迟到了。 (Tā chídào le.) - He arrived late. (Using 迟到 as a verb).
• Correct: 他来晚了。 (Tā lái wǎn le.) - He came late. (Using 晚 as a complement to the verb 来).
• Correct: 现在很晚了。(Xiànzài hěn wǎn le.) - It's very late now. (Using 晚 as an adjective). You can never say `现在很迟到了`.

In short, if you are talking about the action of showing up past the deadline, use 迟到. If you are describing the general state of lateness, use 晚.

• 准时 (zhǔnshí) - On time, punctual. The direct antonym of 迟到.
• 早退 (zǎotuì) - To leave early. In a work or school context, this is the opposite offense of arriving late.
• 晚 (wǎn) - Late (adjective/adverb). Describes the state of being late, often used as a complement (e.g., 来晚了, lái wǎn le - “came late”).
• 堵车 (dǔchē) - Traffic jam. The most common excuse for being 迟到 in modern China.
• 请假 (qǐngjià) - To ask for leave/time off. What you should do if you know you cannot make it to work or class, to avoid being marked as absent or late.
• 旷课 (kuàngkè) - To skip a class; to be truant. A more serious offense than simply being late for class.
• 旷工 (kuànggōng) - To skip work without permission. The work equivalent of 旷课.
• 守时 (shǒushí) - To be punctual. A more formal synonym for 准时, describing the virtue of being on time.