早(はや)く

はやく

adverb

early, quickly, soon

See also: 早(はや)い (adjective form)

1. early

At an early time.

早(はや)く起(お)きてください。

Please wake up early.

今日(きょう)は早(はや)く家(いえ)を出(で)ました。

I left the house early today.

早(はや)く寝(ね)た方(ほう)がいいですよ。

You should go to bed early.

朝(あさ)早(はや)く起(お)きるのは苦手(にがて)です。

I'm not good at getting up early in the morning.

会議(かいぎ)は予定(よてい)より早(はや)く終(お)わりました。

The meeting ended earlier than scheduled.

2. quickly, fast

At a rapid pace.

もっと早(はや)く歩(ある)いて。

Walk faster.

早(はや)く走(はし)れないんです。

I can't run fast.

もっと早(はや)く食(た)べてください。

Please eat faster.

電車(でんしゃ)が来(き)たので、早(はや)く乗(の)ってください。

The train is here, so please get on quickly.

時間(じかん)がないので早(はや)く準備(じゅんび)して。

We don't have time, so get ready quickly.

3. soon

In the near future.

早(はや)く元気(げんき)になってね。

Get well soon.

早(はや)く春(はる)になってほしい。

I want spring to come soon.

早(はや)くお会(あ)いしたいです。

I want to see you soon.

早(はや)く日本(にほん)に行(い)きたいなあ。

I really want to go to Japan soon.

早(はや)く終(お)わらせて帰(かえ)りましょう。

Let's finish soon and go home.

早(はや)く is the adverbial form of the i-adjective 早(はや)い. It covers three related meanings: early (time), quickly (speed), and soon (desire for something to happen).

FORMATION:
早(はや)い → 早(はや)く (i-adjective → adverb by changing い to く)

KANJI DISTINCTION:

早(はや)く: early or quickly (time-oriented — covers both meanings)
速(はや)く: fast, at high speed (purely about speed)

In practice, 早(はや)く is used for both senses and is the more common spelling.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

早(はや)く起(お)きる: to wake up early
早(はや)く帰(かえ)る: to go home early
できるだけ早(はや)く: as soon as possible
早(はや)く元気(げんき)になってね: get well soon

NOTE:
早(はや)く! on its own works as an urging expression: "Hurry up!"

basic

Added 2026.1.11 18:50 · Revised 2026.6.8 11:21

02500/02935_hayaku