早晚

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"早晚" (zǎowǎn) is an adverbial phrase meaning "sooner or later" or "eventually." It expresses inevitability or certainty that something will happen in the future, though the exact time is unknown or unimportant.

Common Contexts

It is often used to indicate that a situation or outcome is unavoidable, such as resolving a problem or understanding something. It can appear at the beginning or middle of a sentence.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 早晚 + verb: indicates something will definitely happen eventually (e.g., 早晚成功 - will succeed sooner or later).
  • 早晚 + verb: emphasizes inevitability regardless of timing.

Nuances

Using 早晚 implies a sense of patience or inevitability, often reassuring or warning the listener. It differs from "马上" (immediately) or "" (soon) by stressing that the timing is uncertain but the event is certain.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 早晚 with 早上 (morning) or 晚上 (evening). 早晚 is temporal but abstract, not referring to specific times of day.

Example Sentences

You will understand my meaning sooner or later.

This matter will have to be resolved sooner or later.

I have to go to Beijing sooner or later.