Versatile term that definitely has a spring in its step

Time is life," observed the renowned 20th-century writer, translator and educator Liang Shiqiu. "It is most startling to hear a watch or clock ticking away the seconds, each tick indicating the shortening of one's life little by little."

For modern people, life is much like a battle against time. It seems that an invisible power urges us to do everything quicker, hastier, faster: more "快" (kuài, quick; fast; rapid; swift).

The character is commonly used to describe speed. The frequently used term for "courier" is 快遞 (kuàid) meaning "express delivery"; 快餐 (kuài cān) is "fast food"; and 快車 (kuàichē) is an express train or bus. Meanwhile, 動作快 (dòng zuòkuài) is to "act quickly" and 說話快 (shuō huà kuài) means "fast talking." Based on this, a quick worker is called 快手 (kuàishǒu), literally translated as "fast hand". For example: Liu is such a quick and neat worker that he is known as "Fast Hand Liu." However, when it comes to 快嘴 (kuàizuǐ, fast mouth), this isn't describing someone's talking speed. Instead, it refers to people who voice their thoughts too readily, or have loose tongues-in other words, gossips.

You may also have heard people say 腦子快 (nǎo zi kuài, "the brain is fast"). It means "quick-witted, clever, and nimble." The term 眼疾手快 (yǎnjí shǒukuài, literally, "quick of eye and deft of hand") is often used to describe fast reflexes.

If you want to say that you are "doing something at top speed", you can turn to the idiom 快馬加鞭 (kuàimǎ jibiān, spurring on the fast horse). For example: 在這最后一個星期, 我們要快馬加鞭, 按期完成任務(wù). (Zài zhè zuìhòu yīgè xīngqí, wǒmen yào kuàimǎjiābiān, ànqí wánchéng rènwù. In the final week, we must "spur on the fast horse" and finish the project on time).

In some other cases, 快 also indicates a future tense, meaning "soon" or "before long." For example, you can say : 我快要五十歲了 (Wǒ kuàiyào wǔshí suìle. I am about to be 50.)

Another meaning of 快 is "sharp; keen." A sharp knife is 快刀 (kuàidāo). A Chinese saying states that "快刀斬亂麻" (Kuàidāo zhǎn luànmá), which can be translated as "cut a tangled skein of jute with a sharp knife." This old pearl of wisdom means that one should be resolute and take prompt measures in order to solve a complex problem.

But 快 didn't always have these keen connotations. Its original meaning was "pleased, happy, satisfied". As a pictophonetic character - where one component carries the meaning and another the sound - its radical 忄, a simplified version of 心 (xīn, heart), indicates that 快 is an emotion-related word.

Many two-character words containing 快 have this meaning, such as 快樂 (kuàilè, happy), 快活 (kuàihuó, jolly, merry, cheerful), or 快感 (kuàigǎn, a pleasant sensation or delight). There is also the literary expression 快事 (kuàishì), meaning "an occurrence that gives great satisfaction or pleasure." For instance, 他鄉(xiāng)遇故知, 實(shí)乃人生一大快事! (Tāxiāng yù gùzhī, shí nǎi rénshēng yī dà kuài shì! It is such a delight in life to encounter an old friend in a distant land!)

With this meaning, being served a sneak peak or trailer of a film is 先睹為快 (xiān dǔ wéi kuài, consider it a pleasure to be among the first to read or see); hurting oneself will 親痛仇快 (qīn tòng chóu kuài, sadden one's close friends and gladden one's enemies); when virtue is rewarded it 大快人心 (dàkuài rénxīn, gladdens the people's hearts). The most interesting use of this exists in the word 快婿 (kuàixù). With 婿 (xù) meaning son-in-law, the word refers to an ideal match for one's daughter.

When the character is used to depict a personality, 快 means "straightforward, forthright and plainspoken," as seen in words like 爽快 (shuǎng kuài, straightforward and outspoken).

Here we have the phrase 快人快語 (kuài rén kuài yǔ), meaning "straightforward talk from a straightforward person," which is usually used to flatter people face-to-face: "您快人快語! 跟您聊天真是痛快" (Nín kuàirénkuàiyǔ! Gēn nín liáotiān zhēnshi tòngkuài! You are such a straightforward person, talking straightforwardly. It's such a pleasure to talk with you.)

Last but not least, sometimes 快 is also a noun. In ancient times, a sheriff was called 捕快 (bǔkuài), referring to a constable who caught criminals. But this word is no longer used for policemen in modern society. What do people call the cops now? That's a lesson for another day.

Courtesy of the World of Chinese, www.theworldofchinese.com

The World of Chinese