Kuai yidian (快一点): A bit faster

快一点

kuài yìdiǎn

A bit faster

Character breakdown

快

fast

kuài

一

one

yī

点

a bit

diǎn

Grammar and structure

This is an imperative phrase: 快 (kuài, 'fast') plus 一点 (yìdiǎn, 'a bit'). It's a direct request, not a full sentence.

Variations and politeness

快点儿

kuài diǎnr

A bit faster (colloquial) — More casual and colloquial, common in northern China.

请快一点

qǐng kuài yìdiǎn

Please be a bit faster — More polite because it adds 'please'.

Mini dialogue

快一点，我们要迟到了！

kuài yìdiǎn, wǒmen yào chídào le!

Hurry up, we're going to be late!

我知道，但交通很糟糕。

wǒ zhīdào, dàn jiāotōng hěn zāogāo.

I know, but the traffic is terrible.

When to use it

Appropriate

When you want someone to speed up an action, like walking or counting money.
In casual situations with friends or family.
When you're in a hurry and need to urge someone quickly.

Avoid when

In formal situations or with strangers, as it can sound blunt without 'please'.
When you want to be polite; English speakers might use it too directly, forgetting to soften it.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'hurry up' in Chinese?

You can say 'kuài yìdiǎn' (快一点), which means 'a bit faster'. It's a common way to urge someone to speed up.

How do you pronounce '快一点'?

It's pronounced 'kuài yìdiǎn'. The tone for 快 is fourth, 一 is second (because it's before a fourth tone), and 点 is third.

When do you use '快一点'?

Use it in casual situations when you want someone to hurry up, like telling a friend to walk faster. It's informal, so add '请' (please) to be polite with strangers.