速(はや)い／早(はや)い

はやい
i-adjective
fast, early
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present速(はや)い／早(はや)い速(はや)くない／早(はや)くない
Past速(はや)かった／早(はや)かった速(はや)くなかった／早(はや)くなかった
て form速(はや)くて／早(はや)くて速(はや)くなくて／早(はや)くなくて
Adverbial速(はや)く／早(はや)く—
Conditional ば速(はや)ければ／早(はや)ければ速(はや)くなければ／早(はや)くなければ
Conditional たら速(はや)かったら／早(はや)かったら速(はや)くなかったら／早(はや)くなかったら
1. fast, quick
Moving or happening at high speed. Written as 速(はや)い. Opposite of 遅(おそ)い (slow).
この電車(でんしゃ)は速(はや)いです。
This train is fast.
速(はや)く歩(ある)いてください。
Please walk fast.
Adverb form: 速(はや)く
この車(くるま)は速(はや)くて、気持(きも)ちがいいです。
This car is fast and feels good.
彼(かれ)は走(はし)るのが速(はや)いです。
He runs fast.
時間(じかん)が経(た)つのは早(はや)いですね。
Time passes quickly, doesn't it?
2. early
Happening before the expected or usual time. Written as 早(はや)い. Opposite of 遅(おそ)い (late).
朝(あさ)早(はや)く起(お)きました。
I woke up early in the morning.
もう帰(かえ)るの？早(はや)いね！
You're leaving already? That's early!
早(はや)く寝(ね)たほうがいいです。
You should go to bed early.
Adverb form: 早(はや)く
今日(きょう)は早(はや)く仕事(しごと)が終(お)わりました。
Work finished early today.
明日(あした)は早(はや)いから、もう寝(ね)ます。
I have an early start tomorrow, so I'm going to bed now.

Two different kanji share this reading, each with distinct meaning.

Kanji distinction

  • 速(はや)い: fast, quick (relates to speed)
  • 早(はや)い: early (relates to time)

Forms

Common patterns

Usage

  • 早(はや)い frequently means "too early, premature," not merely "early": まだ早(はや)い (it is still too soon).
  • The adverb 早(はや)く used alone functions as an urging "hurry up."
  • 速(はや)い describes only rate of motion or work. It cannot replace 早(はや)い for clock time, so "the meeting is early" is 早(はや)い, never 速(はや)い.

Similar words

遅(おそ)い covers both meanings: slow and late.

Related Words

Antonym: 遅(おそ)い (slow, late)
Related: 急(いそ)ぐ (to hurry)
Related: 早(はや)める (to bring forward, to quicken)
Antonym: ゆっくり (slowly)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:32 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31
00500/00514_hayai