Word
急激
Meaning in Englishsudden, rapid, sharp
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
急激 means occurring very quickly or abruptly; it describes a rapid, drastic change or increase in degree, rate, or intensity, typically used for dynamic processes and in formal, technical contexts.
Main meanings
- Rapid or drastic change in degree or pace
- Used before a noun with the な-form as 急激なX to modify it
- Common in scientific, economic, and news contexts to describe abrupt developments
How to use it
In usage, 急激 is used to describe swift changes in quantities or rates, such as temperature, prices, or levels of growth or intensity; it's formal and common in technical writing, journalism, and policy discussions; it attaches to nouns through the な-form as 急激な変化, 急激な増加, etc.
Variants and close terms
- 急速な (kyuusoku na) — rapid, swift
- 突然の (totsuzun no) — sudden, abrupt
- 劇的な (geki-teki na) — dramatic, striking
- 漸進的な (zenshin-teki na) — gradual; opposite nuance
Composition
- 急: fast, urgent
- 激: intense, fierce
Etymology
急 on-reading kyuu; 激 on-reading geki; A Sino-Japanese compound formed from two on-yomi kanji that together convey a sense of speed and intensity, yielding a word read kyuugeki.
Word class
adjective (na-adjective, 形容動詞)
Related words by kanji and components
N3
刺激
shigeki
stimulus, incentive, stimulation
N3
急速
kyuusoku
rapid, swift, fast
N3
急に
kyuu ni
suddenly, abruptly
N3
激しい
hageshii
violent, vehement, intense
N4
急行
kyuukou
express train or bus
N4
特急
tokkyuu
limited express, special express
N4
急ぐ
isogu
to hurry, to be in a hurry, to rush
N4
急
kyuu
urgent, sudden; steep
N5
急ぎます
isogimasu
hurry