What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 早日 (early day/soon) and 康复 (to recover/recuperate).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
早日康复 is a formal and polite way to wish someone a recovery, making it suitable for cards, messages or speaking to elders and superiors. In more casual settings, such as when talking to close friends or family members, you can use 快点好起来. To emphasize the urgency of the person's recovery, you can use 要快快好起来, which means "get better quickly". For an even more formal and polite expression toward someone you respect, such as a superior, you can use 祝您早日康复.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can turn the phrase into a complete sentence meaning "wish you a speedy recovery" by adding 祝你 (zhù nǐ) to the beginning. To express "Please get well soon" in a polite and considerate way, you can use 请早日康复.
How do you pronounce it?
zǎorì kāngfù
Did you know?
- When sending a physical card with 早日康复, it is common to avoid colors like white or black, which are associated with funerals, and instead use red or bright colors to symbolize life and vitality.
- While 早日康复 is a standard wish, Chinese culture often avoids using the word 'illness' or 'sick' directly when visiting someone, as naming the ailment is sometimes seen as inviting more bad luck.
- The character 康 in 康复 is also found in the word for 'health' (健康), but it historically refers to a state of peace and stability, suggesting that recovery is a return to a balanced state.
Examples in context
- 祝你早日康复，好好休息。(Zhù nǐ zǎorì kāngfù, hǎohǎo xiūxi.)Get well soon and take good rest.
- 祝你早日康复。Zhù nǐ zǎorì kāngfù.I wish you a speedy recovery.
- 请多休息，早日康复。Qǐng duō xiūxi, zǎorì kāngfù.Please rest more and get better soon.
Example conversation
Junjie is visiting Xiaowen in the hospital.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen谢谢你来看我，俊杰。Xièxiè nǐ lái kàn wǒ, Jùnjié.Thank you for coming to see me, Junjie.
- 俊杰 Junjie没关系，祝你早日康复。Méiguānxì, zhù nǐ zǎorì kāngfù.It's okay, I hope you get better soon.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我现在感觉好多了。Wǒ xiànzài gǎnjué hǎo duō le.I feel much better now.
- 俊杰 Junjie那就好，你要多休息。Nà jiù hǎo, nǐ yào duō xiūxí.That's good, you need to get plenty of rest.
