飞速
fēi sù · HSK 7
flying speed
🚀 飞速 = fly + speed — literally flying speed, as fast as flight
Used for dramatic rates of change: 飞速发展 (rapid development), 飞速增长 (rapid growth). The fly component signals something beyond ordinary fast.
飞 — pictograph of a bird in flight (wings + body)
飞 is a pictograph originally depicting a bird soaring with outstretched wings, with the upper stroke suggesting the head and the curved strokes representing wings and tail. The traditional form 飛 shows the wings more clearly; 飞 is the simplified version retaining just one wing-like element. Its core meaning 'to fly' has stayed stable throughout history.