迟迟
chí chí · HSK 7
slow
🐢⏰ chí chí sounds like che-che — an engine that won't start, always late
Double 迟 intensifies the lateness. Think of repeating chí-chí as a clock ticking past the deadline, emphasizing persistent delay or procrastination that just won't resolve.
迟 — walk radical 辶 + sheep 羊 (phonetic)
迟 combines the walking radical 辶 with 羊 (sheep) as a phonetic clue. The original form depicted slow, lingering movement, giving the core meaning of 'late' or 'slow'. Over time it broadened to cover tardiness in time as well as physical slowness.
迟 — walk radical 辶 + sheep 羊 (phonetic)
迟 combines the walking radical 辶 with 羊 (sheep) as a phonetic clue. The original form depicted slow, lingering movement, giving the core meaning of 'late' or 'slow'. Over time it broadened to cover tardiness in time as well as physical slowness.