追
zhuī
In Chinese, to chase is 追 (zhuī). If unsure, use 追. Wiktionary also lists 追逐 (zhuīzhú) and 奔逐 (bēnzhú).
Meaning: to pursue, to follow at speed (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 追 | zhuī |
| 追逐 | zhuīzhú |
| 奔逐 | bēnzhú |
| 逐 | zhú |
The phrase is used to mean to pursue or to follow someone or something at speed. The terms 追逐 and 追 can also function as nouns to describe the action of chasing.
Which one should you use?
While both mean to chase or pursue, the two-syllable form 追逐 is more formal and is often found in written language or used to describe a continuous process. The single-syllable form 追 is more common in daily speech. Additionally, there is the form 奔逐 and the single syllable 逐.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a transitive verb, 追 can be followed directly by an object, such as a person or an animal.
How do you pronounce it?
zhuī
Did you know?
- The word 追星 literally means 'chasing stars' and is the common term for being a celebrity superfan.
- The character 逐 contains the radical for 'pig', 豕, suggesting that the ancient concept of chasing involved driving livestock.
- In modern romantic contexts, 追 is the standard word used to describe 'courting' or 'trying to get someone to date you'.
Examples in context
- 一隻賽勒諾棲於岩石之上，你看，/ 那陰鬱的女先知就這樣嘎聲道出她的末日預言。/「還有戰爭，拉俄墨冬兩度背信的後裔！/ 你們帶來的是戰爭，還偷殺了我們的牛群？/ 而你們還要將無辜的哈爾庇厄驅逐，/ 趕出她們古老、世代相傳的領地？」One perched, Celaeno, on a rock, and lo, / thus croaked the dismal seer her prophecy of woe. / "War, too, Laomedon's twice-perjured race! / War do ye bring, our cattle stol'n and slain? / And unoffending Harpies would ye chase / forth from their old, hereditary reign?"This sentence is useful for seeing how 逐 can be used in a literary context regarding chasing something forth from a territory.Tatoeba #13888098 by LeviHighway, translation #7020032 by carlosalberto
- 他追赶了窃贼很远。He chased the thief for a long distance.
- 警察在街上追逐罪犯。The police are chasing criminals on the street.
- 警察一直追捕那个杀人犯。The police have been chasing the murderer all along.
- 我们一起追鲨鱼吧！Let's chase sharks together!
- 那个小孩追逐着彩色气球。That child is chasing colorful balloons.
- 他在追那只猫。Tā zài zhuī nà zhī māo.He is chasing that cat.
- 别追那个小偷！Bié zhuī nàge xiǎotōu!Don't chase that thief!
Example conversation
A man and a woman are watching children play in a park.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你看，那个男孩在追那个女孩。Nǐ kàn, nàge nánhái zài zhuī nàge nǚhái.Look, that boy is chasing that girl.
- 雨婷 Yuting他们玩得很开心。Tāmen wán de hěn kāixīn.They are having a lot of fun.
- 志强 Zhiqiang别追太快了，小心摔倒。Bié zhuī tài kuài le, xiǎoxīn shuāidǎo.Don't chase too fast, be careful not to fall.
- 雨婷 Yuting没错，安全第一。Méicuò, ānquán dì yī.True, safety first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chase” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 追, 逐, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
